Sonia Estévez: Exploring women’s freedom through the art of puppetry in Txotxongiloa

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

The most demanding task for someone like me who works in a small and relatively independent company is to maintain creative quality while having to carry out all the tasks that an audiovisual production entails.

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

The starting point was an aphorism by R.S. Ferlosio who talks about the strings of a puppet as an allegory of freedom. From that image of a puppet and its strings, the themes (women and their freedoms and servitudes), the music ( string instrument), the characters (dolls) and the scenes (Sisyphus).

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

The main theme is freedom for women in today’s world. It is a reflection on the presence or absence of freedom in important actions and situations in a woman’s life. It is not a political or philosophical speech, but an artistic proposal that aims to promote reflection regarding all this issues.

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

With a lot of passion, affection and many hours of work apart from all other production tasks.

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

It is very important because distributors know the market and provide you with essential visibility to carry out productions.

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

That they are systematic, constant, and that they save space a day or a week to focus on doing it well. I think it is better that they start with festivals related to the theme or genre of the productions.

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

Short films allow you to make auteur film projects and test your skills in each one of them because they are all different from each other.

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

Some pieces needed for a short film took three months to arrive, when we were in full production, and everything was delayed. The last two months we overlapped the animation process with the post-production process to finish it on time.

What, in your view, are the critical factors that contribute to the creation of a cinematic masterpiece?

The most important thing and what makes the difference is to have a good idea and a good team involved in the project.

If you could revisit the inception of your career, are there any aspects or decisions you would choose to alter in hindsight?

Yes. Since I have done all the tasks in my productions, if I went back to that situation I would dedicate myself a little more to finding a way to focus more deeply on direction and animation.