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June 13, 2014
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Oscar Torre and Chuti Tiu talk Pretty Rosebud
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Ryan
Pretty Rosebud is a film catching a lot of buzz on the indiewire right now. Screenings have been selling out and audiences seem to be very pleased overall. I had the chance to speak with Director Oscar Torre and the film’s star and writer Chuti Tiu about everything from the film’s inception to the mechanics of finalizing Pretty Rosebud. Take a look at the trailer below and then read what they had to say. Ryan: So, let’s talk about Pretty Rose Bud. Can either of you give a brief synopsis from your perspective. Chuti: Ok. Basically Pretty Rose Bud is about an unhappy, career driven, woman who is stuck in a smothering marriage that’s gone stale. And she has pressures from her family, her spouse, her parents, her culture, her religion and her work. [She is] supposed to be a perfect wife, future mother, worker, etc. and she crumbles under the pressure. She starts breaking societal taboos and making questionable decisions all in her search find what truly makes her happy.
Ryan: So, I’m curious about the title. How is the title of the film determined?
Chuti: Well, pretty rose bud is the nursery rhyme that the lead character cindy and cindy’s mom sings, (just once), in the film and its neat because it’s a nursery rhyme that talks about growth. And that’s, basically to sum it up, that in order for a pretty rose bud to grow into a fully blossomed rose it needs to grow. And funny enough that’s what Cindy, the main character, has to do throughout the film is learn to grow and learn to listen to her own voice.
Ryan: That’s very interesting and an interesting way to tie in the theme as well. So, Chuti you wrote the film and you star in it. As you said, it focuses on a woman kinda feeling trapped. Maybe inhibited by the monotony of life. As a female, and writer, yourself why do you think that sexual expression has become a common act of rebellion and release for women in these types of main characters.
Chuti: Now that’s interesting that you should mention that idea of it being a common act of rebellion. I am not sure how common it is because I… it’s interesting. I know that there are [some] coming of age stories or what have you where people may be experimental sexually, or whatever, to find themselves. But especially because this is done within the kinda package of a marriage and that character, the wife, who does the stepping out as opposed to the husband stepping out. I felt it was a different story than what you typically see portrayed in the media. I think it’s changing but I know it’s a very typical story too… you know for example “The Good Wife”…
Chuti: Then there’s a movie that’s out right now, The Other Woman with Cameron Diaz, which has the guy cheating on the chick. And so, I felt that I wanted to kinda express a different angle on sexual relationships.
Ryan: And I can definitely see where its more empowering for a woman moreso as well, it just kinda raises the question to me that if the main character were a man do you think the film would have a risqué sense that it does and do you think the character would be held to maybe the same level of scrutiny from society? I know that’s a common issue with male and female.
Oscar: You hit the nail on the head.
Chuti: You definitely did Ryan, actually. That’s why I wrote it like this because Cindy could have use another form of escape, lets say ‘Alcholism’, being a shopaholic…being a workaholic, something.
Ryan: Oh, no, I didn’t.
Oscar: oh ok, we’re married. I directed the film and she wrote and starred in it. So one day I’m on the phone with her and I called her Linda. That’s my nickname for her. Which is her name, Linda, which also means in Spanish “Beautiful/Pretty”.
Oscar: But, I was talking on the phone in front of a friend of mine. And he heard me say “Linda” so he thought I was talking to a different woman…
Ryan: Yeah, its definite display of the gender divide. Chuti, as writer and the main character how much of yourself would you say that you put into the role? How much can you relate to the main character? What aspects of your own life could you see that relate to that character?
Chuti: now im going to quote, I believe it was Jack Nicholson, I forget…
Ryan: Well, Oscar, I need to ask you is the family aspect what drove you toward directing this film being your directorial debut.
Oscar : What about it is that I’m an actor first and foremost so what interested me was the relationships in the film. The dynamics of the relationships including the parents. As a character, telling the story from the characters point of view. Her world. I think that’s what intrigued me to explore as a director.
Ryan: Well, as an actor and a director in this film would you say there was difficulty transitioning between the two. Especially with this film being your directorial debut?
Oscar: Was it difficult to direct myself or just make the transition in general?
Ryan: Lets go with both.
Oscar: Ok. I think the challenges I that I had as a director were probably many of the challenges many directors have. Just in general, you know, things that come up when you film. I had never directed before but luckily I’ve been blessed to have been working as an actor for a while now. And I have worked for a lot of good directors. So I would say that was pretty much my film school
Oscar: So I think that was part of the process. Making sure you are hiring the right people. Not only the right people for your film, but the right people for you.
Ryan: Sure, definitely. Oscar: But yes, I think that made life easier for me. Of course there’s always the challenges of directing a film that’s low budget and all that but that was never something that… and I made it a point to tell the crew that that would never be an excuse in the making of this. I’ve been on sets, also low budget stuff, and they said ‘oh, this is low budget’. And I said “I don’t want to hear that because when an audience goes to see a film they don’t care what your budget is. The movie is either good, or not”. They’re not gonna say, “oh it was okay for the budget.” No, when you’re paying for a film you don’t care what the budget is.
Ryan: Well, let me ask you both a very cliché question but its always one that’s rather interesting for me. For both of you, if you could describe Pretty Rose Bud in one, or a few, words how would you describe it?
Oscar: The story of a woman finding her happiness and all the challenges that she runs into in her journey.
Ryan: So after this, what do we have to look forward to? Is there anything else that you’re looking forward to yourselves that’s upcoming?
Oscar: Right now, well, we’re in the process of getting distribution. The film is being screened at the Cox film market on May 18th. And we’re planning next week the Big Atom film festival on Sunday of next week, not this week. So we’re gonna watch for that.
Ryan: Well I’m looking forward to seeing the film myself. It sounds great. Sounds like a lot of character development and is very character development driven which is my thing for film in general. And I wish you both the best and hope to hear from you guys in the future.
Chuti: Absolutely! Ryan thank you so much! This post was written by :
who has written 330 posts on The Movie Blog First and foremost, Ryan Brown is a fan. He has been an avid fan of both the theater and cinema since an early age and his passion for both has been continually growing ever since. When dissecting a film, he focuses on all elements of film-making including some fan/cult factors. He believes that character development is the foundation of a good film and usually starts his analysis of a film from there moving forward. His writing style may be influenced by his background of narrative and argumentative studies in the subject, but he tends to enjoy a more conversational style to better interact with the readers, unlike some other pretentious and pompous writers.
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