César Rozas is a documentary filmmaker based in Spain.
With his first-time film project “The Spirit of Pioneers” he has won several accolades all around the world.
Hi Cesar, nice to meet you and thanks for granting us this interview.
How was born your passion for the world of cinema?
I think it was born at my chilhood. Close of home, there were two great cinemas. It was at the 70´s, before video clubs, and of course, Internet.
I remember my family spending Sundays´afternoons going there and watching movies of all genres.
It was like a trip to other worlds. For some hours I can be a pirate, an adventure looking for treasures, a cowboy, a knight of King Arthur or an space explorer. I supose, it started inside me this passion for cinema.
What was your first movie?
I made some experimental movies, to learn about footage and edition, but my real first movie as scripwriter, producer, director and editor is “The Spirit of Pioneers”.
What is, for you, the main difficulties for an independent filmmaker?
This is a really good question. There are some ones. The first is basically about founding. For this documentary I had only my own money.
Another one is how to start at festivals´circuit, but actually, thanks to Internet is possible starting to making my name. And perhaps the more difficult is how to find distribution. Nowadays that´s what I´m trying.
From whence does the idea of a documentary?
My other passion are the airplanes. I´m ultralight airplanes´pilot, and a sleepless night I suddenly had the idea about explaining why some people still flies at the same way than aviation´s pioneers did more than one hundred years ago.
How would you describe your documentary “The Spirit of Pioneers”?
I´ve watched lots of short videos about ultralight airplanes at internet, or TV.
My idea was doing something different. The main concept was not about technical aeronautic matters, but was about this concept of remembrance of ancient aviation, at the begining of XX century. This airplanes are very similar to pionners´ airplanes, have almost no instruments, and in an age of technology like ours, the idea wasexplaining why this passion for flying by sensations, feeling the force of wing.
“The Spirit of Pioneers “ is a story of adventure, passion, friendship and continuous learning. The main idea was to show this world trough the eyes of a little kid, because childhood is an age of continuous discovering, and i´d like people feels like this kid, discovering a new and maybe forgotten world.
How long did it take to do this movie?
I had the idea ten years ago, but I didn´t know how to make a documentary.
It was necessary learning all about cinema. I´ ve spent months reading books, watching documentaries, learning about digital recording and edition, repeating cuts, some times giving up, but always with this idea about explaining this story inside me.
What are the main ingredients to create a good documentary?
Of course, technical means, and nowadays there are great ones, and not too much expensive.
But the more important, the key, is have a good story to explain.
And passion. It´s necessary to pass on, to transmit this passion, no matters what idea about, but passion and love for knowledege are the main ingredients for a documentary.
Tell us about your future projects.
I´m starting to write a short drama about the concept of free will at old age. Actually many old people, after a long life, with all their experience and knowledge are moved apart to old´s people home, and are handled like little kids. I´m still starting with the idea. Perhaps next year, I dont know…
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/CesarRozas66
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