Dorian is no longer a boy and his father refuses to accept his imminent sexual behavior. Dorian is special; he is a sensitive and happy boy with Down syndrome under his father care, who is fighting against the idea of letting him grow up. That’s the plot of the story young Cuban filmmaker Rodrigo Barriuso proposes with the multi-awarded short fiction film For Dorian.
The film was produced in Canada with an impeccable arts direction, memorable performances and a perfect use of expressive resources. In just 16 minutes, it reveals universal conflicts such as intergenerational relations, metal disabilities and sexuality in these common people, despite being a taboo in the media today.
During the recently concluded ICAIC’s Young Sample (ICAIC: Cuban Film Institute by its acronym in Spanish) this piece was presented the first prize in the categories of short film, best script and best male performance.
OnCuba met with Barriuso, who has been trained in Toronto and London and is now living in Canada, to talk about this short film that has been presented about tenth awards and nominations and has participated in more than 30 festivals in 18 nations in four continents.
How do you feel about all the recognition and awards received with this production?
With a film tackling such an unusual topic, about a father who is not ready to face his son’s imminent sexual behavior, considering he suffers from the Down syndrome, some recognition or a pat on the back is always received with amazement and joy. I never imagined it would partake in more than 30 festivals and would receive more than ten awards. It is really nice to see that the film touched people and made them reflect.
There are a few referents in the cinema about this topic. What can you say about the preparation stages?
For me as director it was incredible to start writing and realize there were scarce reference materials, whether cinematographic, literary or graphic. Sexual identity and sexuality in people with disabilities seems to be a taboo still. Therefore, I had to do some further research, mainly through interviews. These interviews changed my perception about the reality of people with disabilities. It started as a professional process where I interviewed teenagers with Down syndrome, their parents and friends. However, two years after the shooting of the film, I still have a close relationship with them.
How did you come up with this idea for the film? What was your motivation for this script?
I came up with the idea spontaneously. One evening I was walking down the street and I ran into a youngster with Down syndrome. At that moment I didn’t think about it, but as I kept walking Istarted to ask myself questions about him –where is he coming from? Where is he going? Is he going to meet with his girlfriend or boyfriend? Then, I kept thinking about this and imagining what would the reaction be if he announced at home he has a girlfriend or a boyfriend. I’m pretty sure many people don’t stop to think about thesexual wake up of people with disabilities or they just think of them as incapable or unworthy of the right to intimacy. So, I decided to make a film about this topic. For Dorian got a lot of inspiration from the work of three photographers from the 20th century who I consider to be basic referents in the history of photography – Andre Kertesz, Lisette Model and Diane Arbus. My background is the world of arts, so it is not unusual that I find referents in the visual arts.
What was the greatest challenge in the film?
Finding financing for independent cinema is always a huge challenge, mostly if we are dealing with short films. Fortunately, by means of scholarships, community help and my own investments we managed to produce the film according to the standards I had outlined. From the creative point of view, the hardest challenge was to direct two actors with disabilities.
How did you choose your main character?
I always thought that finding an actor with Down syndrome whowas able to play the main character would be the greatest challenge, but it was one of the easiest elements in the production. I met Dylan Harman (Dorian) during my research, through one of the families I interviewed while I was writing the script. Dylan has been performing since he was a child, so he approached me very professionally and asked me to cast for the part. We found Ron Lea (Oliver) through a casting director. This process was more formal. We sent him the script to his manager and a few days later he called me to say he was interested. It was an incredible experience to have in the cast an artist of that caliber and maturity.
Rodrigo Barriuso
Did you want to pay homage to the Cuban contemporary art with the decorations of the walls in the film?
It was not on purpose. I would rather say it pays homage to my relation with Cuban contemporary art and my origins. I grew up in the world of arts and I have been close to some of these artists since I was a child. Many of them watched me grow up just as I saw them become the incredible artists they are today. For me, they are essential figures within the history of Cuban contemporary art. So, it is not a surprise that I had used the works of artists I admire to create the environments of these characters. It was an incredible honor for me to have really good pieces, which certainly contributes with reinforcing the story of the film and adds some symbolism to it.
Are you pleased with the results?
Yes, I am. I know I could have made a better film or a better approach to the topic. There is always room for improvements. Yet, I produced the film I wanted. More experienced friends and colleagues tell me this hardly ever happens in the life of a filmmaker. It is also true that my personality doesn’t allow me to make a stop to give much thought to what I do.
In what subgenre would you put the film in?
I always leave that for the critics, who are usually much more coherent than me. If asked, I say it is a drama and period. Other people say it is a LGTB film, coming of age; a Cuban academy described it as transnational (regarding the fact that I’m Cuban, but my work doesn’t answer to the values I mentioned before). I love that idea of transnational cinema.
Why did you choose that title?
With the second draft of the script I began to work with an editor to help me organize my ideas. We were also working together in another project. One day we were working and after a while we were both tired, I asked her to close both documents and save them in the desk in my PC and she asked me “How should I name them?”, “I don’t know”, I told her, “You choose”. She saved what we had written in a folder under the name “For Dorian”. One day I realized that regardless of the controlling actions of the father, everything he did was for the sake of his son, For Dorian. And I decided to keep that title. My producer still hates it.
How would you assess the Cuban Young cinema?
I dare to say the Cuban young cinema is experiencing such excitement and vindication only comparable to a similar process in the 60’s. There is an incredible generation that is not easily stopped, it doesn’t take a no for an answer and is willing and incredibly eager to produce quality films. There are plenty: Claudia Calviño, Inti Herrera, Alejandro Brugués, Carlos Quintela, Marcel Beltrán, Arturo Infante, Jessica Rodriguez… It is an endless list, as well as their talent. These filmmakers have actually opened the Cuban cinema to the world and have favored international dialogues. It is nice and encouraging to watch Cuban cinema in festivals in Berlin, Rotterdam, Toronto.
Do you have any plans to carry out a project with the Cuban cinema?
Of course! One of my dreams is to produce films in Cuba, with a Cuban creative and technical team and with Cuban actors (Laura de la Uz, I’m looking at you), with a Cuban topic, but trespassing the Cuban frontiers. That day will come. It is just a matter of time and efforts.
What can you tell us about your immediate plans?
Right now I’m working on the production process of a biography based on the latest years of Andre Kertesz, a Hungarian-North American photographer from the 20th century. Andre Kertesz is one of my creative referents. I’m really looking forward to working in such inspirational material.
