Sami Edge | Freelance reporter
The film “La Llamada” @@http://www.lallamada-lapelicula.com/@@had its U.S. debut on Thursday night in the Global Scholars Hall. The picture, written and directed by Ecuadorian filmmaker David Nieto Wenzell,@@checked@@ was screened as part of a series of events at the GSH geared toward building global awareness within the University of Oregon community.
The script was inspired by Wenzell’s personal struggles with school and his experience with the busy life of being a publicist. According to Wenzell, the objective of the film was to unite audiences worldwide by focusing on universal themes: family conflict and the demands of motherhood. The film also offers a glance into the perplexing social challenges faced by a 14-year-old boy.
“I believe women are really strong characters. I believe that there’s a lot of movies made about super heroes. I tried to portray a hero who is really a super hero — who is a mother,” Wenzell said.
Although originally from Ecuador, Wenzell now lives in Eugene while his wife pursues a Ph.D. in Romance Languages at the UO. To him, screening his film for students is not only about increasing publicity, but also spreading awareness about his native culture.
“For me to do movies is to show what I do, to show my work. If you are going to do something in movie or in culture, then you have to push it into every avenue that you can,” Wenzell said. “I am living here, and I feel like I can bring a little piece of Ecuador in a movie and show it to you guys.”
Robert Davis,@@directory@@ Spanish professor and Scholar in Residence at the GSH, arranged the film screening because he thought that it would be a unique opportunity for students to explore the filmmaking industry across cultural boundaries.
“He’s not a Eugene film maker, he’s not a New York filmmaker, he’s an Ecuadorian filmmaker,” Davis said of Wenzell. “(The students) get a whole new perspective, a whole new lens on the world that they wouldn’t have access to.”
The film screening gained a positive reaction from students who attended the showing.
“I think it was really relatable. It’s different than a typical Hollywood movie. He tried to do something that everyone goes through,” Emily Scher,@@directory@@ a junior public relations student said.
Students who were unable to attend this showing will have another opportunity to see “La Llamada” during a screening at Bijou Art Cinemas@@http://bijou-cinemas.com/bijouartcinemas/@@ during winter term.