Congrats to Jada Facer on her nomination for Best Performance In a Short Film at the 34th Annual Young Artist Awards. This is regarding her role as LUCY BIRD in “Niña Del Tango.” It was an endearing, nuanced performance and I get comments about Jada each time we screen the film. Best of luck when the winners are announced next Sunday at the Hollywood ceremony!

Consulate General of Argentina

After visualizing and writing about Argentina for the past three years, I finally get to visit Buenos Aires in May. My summer just got so much better! In order to research and scout for the feature film, the writer (John Bucher) and I are going to explore every inch of the legendary city in a mere ten days. One can only gain so much knowledge through long-distance reading. So, through the generosity of an investor, we will get a first-hand experience with the culture that informs what we develop and write. I couldn’t be more excited!

Then, the day after we land back in Los Angeles, we head to NYC for a special screening of “Niña Del Tango” at the Argentine Embassy (Consulate General of Argentina). Mayte Valdes and Carlos Barrionuevo will also perform a few dance numbers and John Bucher will give a lecture on the history of Argentine storytelling and filmmaking. To top off the evening, we will give the first public announcement for the feature version and unveil the teaser poster. We have a lot to do in order to prepare for both trips. But I’m excited that things are moving so quickly in the development process. I’m prepared for a few speed bumps ahead, yet grateful for the present opportunities. Carpe diem!

Very excited to announce the latest festival acceptance for “Niña Del Tango”: Newport Beach Film Festival. This fest is one of the oldest and most prestigious in America, with the largest shorts program for a major festival. Our film will screen at the 6:00pm program on April 30th. More information coming soon!

Mayte & Carlos

For all the supporters and fans of our short film “Niña Del Tango,” I wanted to give an update on the feature development. After getting such positive feedback from festivals and private screenings, we started to think that a feature-length version may be a possibility. Then, thanks to inquiries from investors and interest from the Argentine government, the idea of a feature became more concrete. Just a few months ago, a private investor approached me about my thoughts on expanding the short. I told them that I was passionate about exploring deeper into the tango culture and working again with Mayte Valdes and Carlos Barrionuevo. I also said that the proposed feature would tell a completely different story, but still keep intact the short’s tone and nostalgic mood. Instead of merely revolving around the dance, the story would be about interesting characters who were immersed in the tango culture. Speaking of solid characters, my first objective was to bring on-board a seasoned writer and story development expert to truly craft the best story possible.

This brings us to today. I am very happy to officially announce that John Bucher will be the screenwriter for the feature-length Niña Del Tango (working title). I will assist with story development, but John is the one who will breathe life into the story—illustrating a world that has been underused in cinema. The development stage is being financed by the private investor (undisclosed for the time being). We plan on using most of 2013 to complete development and to also research/scout in Argentina. Then, if additional investors are excited about the finished script, we will begin production in mid-2014. (As a side note, Nathan Hartman—my good friend and writer of the short film—was previously committed to development on a TV pilot. He graciously bowed out of the feature so that development could begin immediately.)

John Bucher (click to view bio)

Also, as an early creative hire, I am thrilled to announce that Donna Baxter (owner and designer for Elsie Katz Couture) will join the production as Costume Designer. Donna is known for her vintage feel and will bring class and sexy elegance to the look of Niña Del Tango. She is currently in Paris for the spring fashion circuit and is already starting to brainstorm the various looks for the film. Donna is a perfect fit for Mayte Valdes and the rest of the glamorous cast!

Donna Baxter at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

By weaving together powerful film scores, this arrangement showcases some phenomenal music from inspired composers. The six minute medley was performed and arranged in a 7-hour period on a rainy Saturday. Since cinematic music is written with images in mind, I decided to include some footage from the films to give a visual reference for the scores. The video is dedicated to all my piano teachers (listed at the end). I hope you enjoy the beautiful melodies!

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” - Victor Hugo

As the sixth festival acceptance for “Niña Del Tango,” we are proud to announce that the film is an official selection for the 2013 Evolution International Film Festival. With a screening in Cairo, Egypt…this festival picks films that are socially relevant, provocative and innovative. Congrats to everyone involved!

Honorable Mentions: ParaNorman, Prometheus, Anna Karenina, Frankenweenie, A Royal Affair (En kongelig affære), Klown, Perfect Sense, Ruby Sparks, Flight, Safety Not Guaranteed, Jiro Dreams of Sushi

15. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

A coming-of-age high school film that manages to bypass the genre’s stereotypes with honest performances combined with a fantastic soundtrack.

14. The Grey

What a pleasant surprise this was: a Liam Neeson film with a brain.

13. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

A simple, heartfelt drama with my two favorite British actors and a refreshing mixture of whimsy with romance.

12. Holy Motors

As a clever allegory for the changing cinema landscape, this odd head-scratcher contained beautiful imagery and insight.

11. The Avengers

Initially dreading such a huge ensamble piece, my fears were quelled as Joss Whedon worked his character magic to mold a definitive blockbuster.

10. The Hobbit

After a HFR (high frame rate) viewing of this film nearly spoiled my experience, a repeat viewing in 24fps showed a worthy predecessor and great promise for the additional prequels.

9. Lincoln

This was my favorite Spielberg film since Munich, mixing unexpected humor with a soul-stirring performance by Daniel Day-Lewis.

8. Moonrise Kingdom

Although not my favorite Wes Anderson film, Moonrise Kingdom confirmed the fact that nobody creates a quirky childhood fantasy like this visionary director.

7. Pitch Perfect & The Sapphires (tie)

This tie brings together two great music-based films of the year: one that gives an hilarious portrayal of college a cappella and the other that tells the true story of an Australian Aboriginal girls group.

6. End of Watch

A buddy cop drama that successfully uses the found footage technique to highlight a bittersweet story of friendship, portrayed by two actors who had the best cinematic chemistry of the year.

5. Django Unchained

Containing his most linear form of storytelling, Django Unchained shows great maturity for Tarantino while still embracing his signature dialogue and outlandish violence.

4. Argo

As a true story that I couldn’t wait to see on the big screen, Ben Affleck and company built a fully-realized 1970s that managed to be quite suspenseful even though the ending was already known.

3. Monsieur Lazhar

Set and filmed in Montréal, this subtle French language drama—which deals with how children can overcome a shared traumatic experience—felt especially timely and even therapeutic.

2. Zero Dark Thirty

Kathryn Bigelow, who seems to be on a creative roll, changed the film’s original ending once Osama bin Laden was actually killed and crafted the best historical thriller since All The President’s Men.

1. Looper

As possibly my favorite dystopian Sci-Fi film of all time, Looper is Rian Johnson’s best film yet and one that left me both speechless and artistically jealous by the time the credits rolled.

Filmed on a shoestring budget of only $97 with gorgeous San Diego as the backdrop, Lens-flare Films is proud to present…DEAD DROP. This short film features the dancing and acting talents of Carlos Barrionuevo and Mayte Valdes. Reunited with the same creative team behind the award-winning short “Niña Del Tango,” this latest film was the direct result of artistic boredom. But with an end product like “Dead Drop,” we hope boredom strikes more often!