Ok, finally a bit more time to write after many long weeks.
This month of September has been quite difficult to film anything related about the film as the weather is quite nasty regarding fog and drizzle. Compared to other years, this one has prolonged days of semi dark foggy days that cover all Lima and the Morro Solar (where I'll shoot the Morro de Arica siege) simply disappears most of the day in a puffy cloud of white fog. Same as almost two months ago when driving up there to re-check the location. You couldn't see past 30 meters! Can't see the ocean below...nothing!
So I decided to put those scenes on hold for this month as all the remaining takes and scenes regarding soldiers and battle are outdoors and at the top of the morro. No use in shooting now. Would be simply a waste of my time and most of it all, my money. Just letting this month pass. This next month of October will be much better to restart filming "Gloria del Pacifico".
Now, I'm setting in motion an alternate project for only this month that was being just "in-talks" for the last two months and a half together with my good friend and actor Carlos Vertiz (who plays Francisco Bolognesi on my film) and his wife. They approached me with this topic that they have been involved in for quite a time now and which they have a theater play even: the human sexual exploitation and trafficking. In this case it's covered how very young girls are picked up or sold by their parents in the highlands and/or jungle towns by people who promise them a better life in the capital, only to make them later street prostitutes and drug users to control them. A totally sad but thruthfull fact that happens not only here but also in other nearby countries as studied and shared by people who works in Tourism departments and offices here in Peru for decades. I proposed them to make a short film to show and make audiences conscious of what is really going on behind doors with tourists that come from abroad to do activities that are not only unlawful but also damaging to a kids life. Now....it's been approved and the filming wheels are set in motion. :)
Have been reuniting with key people in this field of tourism and police for the last month and I'm proud to be a part of this amazing team of excelent human beings who are taking a step forward and do soemthing about this horrible reality. So sad to know how young girls are depraved of their normal raising and growing and be exploited sexually since their early teens, damaging sometimes for good their psyque and health by contracting STD's and not being able to re-enter society normally as they are brainwashed to think there's no escape from that life they had.
I feel proud to be doing something about it. Even if small but doing it as professional as it can be for this film is being taken to Greece this next month to be showned in an international symposium regarding this topic. So i'm in a rush to finish it quickly.
On a side note, it is really a pleasure to work with new actors and also some of the tops names here in the Peruvian industry like Reynaldo Arenas and Teddy Guzman. They surely give this project a high value. Nice to work again with Reynaldo after a long time. Thank you Carlos Vertiz for sharing this project with me.
So...even with this horrible pharyngitis I got, this project is progressing fine and giving it all with my team of people in order to finish it in time for the symposium and then restart again filming "Gloria del Pacifico" in october.
I hope the weather is clearer and sunnier by that time. 35% more left and I'm finished with my so awaited dream war-epic film!
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