Itxaso Díaz: Exposing injustice in El Salvador’s prisons

What are the most formidable challenges inherent to the profession of filmmaking?

For me it is very important not to instrumentalize people or situations. I think cinema can be very selfish and extractivist, so we have to pay close attention to not use people for our own benefit and then disappear without showing any signs of life again.

Could you elaborate on the wellspring of your creative inspiration for this particular short film?

Cautivas is the third film in a documentary trilogy about the criminalization of abortion in El Salvador. It has been a project developed over 7 years, so I have had a lot of contact and knowledge of the situation portrayed.

Could you elucidate on the central thematic underpinning of your film?

El Salvador has one of the most restrictive laws in the world regarding the termination of pregnancy. There women can be accused of aggravated homicide with sentences of 30 to 40 years in prison.

How do you navigate the task of strategizing cost-effective promotional efforts when operating within a constrained budget?

Doing the distribution work yourself

In today's dynamic marketplace, how pivotal do you consider the role of film distribution?

It is essential. We live in a time of cognitive superhabit, where there are too many audiovisual offers on too many platforms. If you don’t move a movie to make it visible, it falls into the bottomless hole that is the internet.

For individuals contemplating the path of self-distribution, what counsel or insights can you offer?

It is a long journey of research on different platforms. You have to go little by little, be patient and not take no’s personally.

In your estimation, what level of significance do short films hold for aspiring filmmakers seeking to embark on a career in directing?

The short film format allows you to experiment with the narrative. It is resolved in a more agile way and allows you to acquire skills and knowledge to then be able to tackle a feature film.

Reflecting on your professional journey thus far, could you share an instance of the most formidable challenge you encountered and how you surmounted it?

Precisely in order to make the short film Cautive women I was left without the financial support to be able to carry out the work, so I had to look for a plan B to be able to finish the film and thus complete the documentary trilogy