“Ovejas y Lobos (Sheep and Wolves)” by Alex Fischman Cárdenas
A mother's world shatters after her son vanishes without a trace. Set in the height of the Peruvian armed conflict, "Ovejas y Lobos" follows a mother’s suspenseful search through the perilous, vast, and unforgiving landscape that mirrors her seemingly insurmountable mission.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
“My connection with this film has evolved so much since the inception of the first draft five years ago. I used to think that this movie was about exploring my relationship with the Peruvian internal armed conflict, or the heart-wrenching decision to leave one's home. Those themes are still relevant, but as Sheep and Wolves (Ovejas y Lobos) began taking shape in the edit room, something emerged. A relationship between the film and myself that I never noticed but resonates with my very existence. My childhood was filled with warmth and affection from my mother, with abundant hugs, kisses, and praise. Yet there was an absence of something vital - I never truly felt heard. This notion is mirrored in the film as Rosa wakes Felix with a loving embrace, yet she dismisses his feelings about leaving without hesitation. Shortly after, Felix disappears. And like Felix, I too have felt the pain of not being heard and have physically and metaphorically disappeared. Leaving my country behind and being frightened of letting others hear my voice. Like in a Greek tragedy, the mother's failure to listen to her son is met with a wrathful and relentless punishment, as she's made to suffer time and time again. As we see her sacrificing her life, and putting everything on the line as she tries with all her might to bring back her son, I realize that I’m making this movie hoping that my mother would realize her mistakes and save me from really becoming invisible. After finding this new relationship I had with my movie, I reworked the ending. Because, I, as Felix and the vengeful god of this tragedy finally saw that Rosa was simply doing the best she could. And as she gives Felix that final hug with the fire blazing behind her in life after death, I’m able to forgive my own mother, because she loved me the best way she could.”
-Alex Fischman Cárdenas
CREDITS
Starring
Sylvia Majo/ @sylviamaio
Anibal Lozano Herrera/ @aniballozanoherrera
Amiel Cayo/ @amiel_cayo
Edu Ramos/ @edu.r
Luis Humberto Gonzales
Belisario Aparco
Directed by Alex Fischman Cárdenas/ @alexfischmanc
Written by Alex Fischman Cárdenas/ @alexfischmanc y Taki Carranza
Produced by Carmen Calderón/ @notlaurapalmer
DP// Jesse Bronstein/ @iesse.bronstein
Art Director// Renzo Bazan/ @necroespergesia
Edit// Alex Fischman Cárdenas @alexfischmanc y Antolin Pietro/ @antolinprieto
Sound Design & Sound Editing// Feliciano Quintana/ @feliciano go
Re-Recording Mixer// Cristian Freund
Sound Post Supervisor & Digital Mix// Paulo Gallo/ @paulogalloa
Mastering DCP// Leonardo Camus
Color Grading Services provided by Color Collective/ @color collective
DI Colorist// Alex Jimenez/ @jimmynez
DI Producer// Alek Rost
Graphic Design/ @andreamatom
AD// Taki Carranza y Gierina Córdova/ @gieritheboom
Wardrobe// Flor Tacilla/ @f.tacilla
Art Producer// Angelica Dávila/ @davilangelica
Propmaster// Ángel Ascue/ @anhell z
Gaffer// Alejandro Caro/ @desistenciaretiniana
Lighting Tech// José Espinoza/ @littlelavoe
AC// Luis Salazar/ @luchosalazarmel
Sound// Daniel Saavedra/ @danielsaaavedra
Violin, Strings, and Ocarina// Maria Laskowska/ @mari.lasko
Kenacho and Charango// Paulo Gallo/ @paulogallog
Synthesizer Venta EM-17 / REKA// Vincent Paladines/ @vinzpaladines
Ethnomusicologist for instrumentation and orientation// Vincent Paladines/ @vinzpaladines
Original Song// Perseo Angeles Villanueva/ @perseoangeles oficial and Karishma Ramírez Aguirre/ @torcazakarishma
PA's// Caharin Caparó/ @c.aharin y Narú Ruiz/ @naruizv
Transport// Belisario Aparco, Edgar Cisneros
International Distribution// Films to Festivals/ @films.to.festivals
Italian Distribution// Cattive Produzioni/ @cattiveproduzioni
Special Thanks
Katherine Lindberg
New York University
Centro Poblado de Cochapampa
Greenpoint Pictures/ @Greenpointpictures
Kathleen Mclnnis/ @mcinnis kathleen
Ethan Cohen/ @billygoatscruff
Mónica Human/ @monicadhc
Banderas Eco Hotel/ @ecohotelbanderashuaraz
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