Martika Ramirez Escobar is a filmmaker-cinematographer based in Manila. Her thesis film from the University of the Philippines competed at the 19th Busan International Film Festival. Her latest work, “Quadrilaterals,” premiered at the 9th DMZ Docs. She is an alumna of the Berlinale Talents Tokyo, Asian Film Academy, Southeast Asian Film Lab, Luang Prabang Talent Lab, Fantastic Film School, Mowelfund Film Institute, and is a recipient of the Purin Film Fund. “Leonor Will Never Die” is her first feature.
“Leonor Will Never Die” is screening at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which is running online from January 20-30. More information can be found on the fest’s website.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
MRE: It’s a film about a retired filmmaker who spends the last days of her life inside a film that she wrote. It’s also about how I see life as one long film that we keep on writing and revising until it’s complete.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
MRE: The idea that out of the hundreds of Filipino action films in the Philippines throughout history, none of them were about an action grandma. It’s well known as a macho genre, but I think it is something special to see it through the tender eyes of a woman.
I also honestly feel that we’re all living in our own movies, so this film is a manifestation of that idea.
W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?
MRE: I just want them to reflect on life — about its little things, and big things. Or simply anything. To trigger musings, even in the faintest sense, is enough.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
MRE: Finding its ending. It’s an eight-year old project with a perpetually changing script, and like everyone else, I’m a changing human being. How I was eight years ago is very different from how I am now so to find and keep that synergy with the material has been a challenge. But thanks to the people who have held on to the project, we were able to complete it in smiles — also with empty pockets. Ha!
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
MRE: It’s a bit of everything: we had grants, a few private investors, my own savings, a lot of friendship cards, and a bit of crowdsourcing through the years. A film such as ours is hard to fund because of its non-commercial nature. And it’s my first feature, so I understand the risk in putting in money, but luckily we were able to find the right people.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
MRE: My mom, who is not a filmmaker but a person who loved taking videos of anything and everything when I was a child. There’s something precious about wanting to capture and keep moments that I think is the reason why I like making films. I like capturing things I find interesting in people and life through moving pictures. It’s quite therapeutic too — like a diary. And as an audience, I like watching films because I get to learn more about life and people as well.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
MRE: The best advice was to follow my heart, which applies to both film and non-film-related things.
I don’t know if I’m just lucky, but I have not received any bad advice yet. If I need to come up with an answer, maybe it’s to grab all opportunities while it is there. Sure, why not? But I also realized that being a filmmaker is not just about grabbing opportunities, meeting all the people, getting into festivals, finding funders, etc. Through time I have realized that filmmaking, at least for me, is simply about giving comfort to the soul.
W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors?
MRE: Know yourself, be yourself, and look at life with love and things will fall into place.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
MRE :Agnès Varda’s “The Gleaners and I.” I love how she sees the big things in life through little things and regular people. Her tender perspective on life and joyful spirit is like medicine to me.
W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?
MRE: I’m adapting, and I’ve been going with the flow of uncertainties. I have accepted the fact that the pandemic has amplified the natural uncertainty of the world, and so I just try to get by through sanity sources such as working on films and baking cookies as if everything is going to be okay.
W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make it more inclusive?
MRE: Put more of us out there! I think it is important that we work hand in hand on this — supporting each other, educating others, and treating everyone with respect. This is something that will only work through a collective effort. As a Filipina filmmaker and cinematographer, I try to do my part by showing that we can do it. I also try to encourage others whenever I can.
