On the twentieth episode of ATFT, I talk with director Craig Ienne Pedroza!
Craig is a Jacksonville filmmaker who fell in love with cinema at a young age and his passion for film has only grown through the years. Musicals like The Court Jester, Singin' in the Rain, and The Sound of Music were some of the first musicals that have impacted him to this day. His favorite film is Damian Chazelle's La La Land. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Film & Production last year and has won both the Best Micro Short at Infinity Fest and Best Jax 180 at the Apologia Film Festival for his short film "The Candles are Wilting", which you can watch on YouTube by clicking here!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXecwF6x0xU.
This is Craig’s third guest appearance on the wide release of ATFT! He was previously a guest on the episodes #FilmTwitter Trends: Directors edition and the 2024 Oscars Special. Overall, this is his fifth guest appearance on the show. This episode marks the first time I have interviewed a friend on ATFT! Craig and I became friends through our mutual friend, Taylor, who helped recruit him to join our team of making a short film. Craig was incredibly helpful and gave me advice I really needed at the time amidst the stressful environment. We share similar interests in film, especially in regards to Wong Kar- Wai. Two years later, we often talk or text about film and I love learning of his often fascinating, unique takes. When I started this podcast two years ago, it was always my intention to interview my friends but I grew somewhat hesitant since I expected I would know many of the answers to the questions asked. I ended up learning so much about Craig and I couldn’t be happier with what became of this episode. This episode was recorded on May 10, 2024.
Craig’s musical drama short, "We Dream of Eden", has been long anticipated. The film is about dreams and how a stranger can have a strong impact on another. The story is told through a young boy, Noah’s (Aisha Christopher Williams jr), eyes and his fractured memories of the turbulent relationship between up- and- coming star July (Lina Smith) and her boyfriend Rowan (Jadon Le). Lina Smith has been a guest on two previously released episodes: Horror films and the 2024 Oscars Special! I was very fortunate to work on this film as a script supervisor but more so capturing behind the scenes footage. Craig’s goal for the film is for the audience to leave the theater with a certain, individualized and impactful feeling. Craig led a positive and collaborative set filled with people who share a deep passion for film. "We Dream of Eden" will be submitted to a few film festivals so stay updated on when and where you can watch the short film by following @iennefilm on both Instagram and YouTube as well as his production company KAIBIGANfilm on Instagram.
Craig gives a very real, honest interview that spans from his early interest in film thanks to his grandparents and mother to reflecting on his previous work to his boldest project yet, "We Dream of Eden". His story and work ethic is sure to inspire aspiring filmmakers. In this episode, Craig and I also talk about the brilliance of 12 Angry Men, the challenges of filmmaking, and how he opened up and became more social thanks to three factors including film and his girlfriend Lina. All this and more on the latest episode of All the Film Things!
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