Made in Spain, the shnit International Short Film Festival selection 'El Corredor' (The Runner) is about a man whose first day jogging leads to crossing paths with one of the 300 workers he fired from his company five years ago. It won Best Short Film at the Goya Awards 2016.Which country made the best movies this year? As a presenter for the 2016 shnit International Short Film Festival, I’m excited to enable a community of world cinema lovers in Philadelphia to come together and have a voice in deciding the answer to that question. Sharing in this awesome communal experience of watching films together is Carlos Pardo, a local photographer and teacher.
He is the cultural enrichment and education facility manager at Taller Puertorriqueño, a non-profit organization that works to elevate and preserve Latino culture through events such as art-education programs, socially conscious art exhibitions and book readings. Pardo, who has traveled to Colombis, Mexico, Veneuela, Chile and the Caribbean, recently welcomed the opportunity to discuss his transnational experiences and most anticipated films in the shnit CINEMAS lineup for Philly.
Here is my full Q&A with the newlywed artist who also wants to go to Europe, France, Italy, India, Thailand and Japan.
Carlo Pardo at Taller PuertorriqueñoMadlab Post: What kind of adventures or challenges did you experience while traveling abroad?
Carlos Pardo: Probably not having currency or a way to get around.
MP: How many languages do you speak?
CP: Spanish and English. I would like to learn French.
MP: Is film a universal language?
CP: [Film] is a visual art and like all art most people are able to understand it, even if you don’t like it.
MP: Which film in the shnit Cinemas lineup for Philly interests you the most?
CP: ОЧЕНЬ ОДИНОКИЙ ПЕТУХ (Very Lonely Cock), El Corredor (The Runner) and Bon Voyage.
The shnit International Short Film Festival selection 'Bon Voyage' is about Swiss sailors who encounter a sinking refugee boat while on their holiday cruise.Very Lonely Cock because when you use drawing to say what you want to say, most of the time you can say it in a different way; El Corridor, because it is part of life and I’m interested in seeing what happens; and the Bon Voyage one because of the way the world is….we wish we could help everyone but when we get to see the world for what it is right now, it’s harder to give up your freedom for someone else.
MP: Can you describe one of your favorite foreign movies?
CP: British probably, very romantic and inventive.
MP: What is one of your favorite foods from another country or culture?
CP: Pupusas from El Salvador, or Pho, Vietnamese.
MP: What is special about Taller Puertorriqueño's after-school program?
CP: We have a great dancing group and some pretty good film makers.
Taller Puertorriqueño's new building, the El Corazón Cultural Center, is slated to open December 2016.MP: Can you share any upcoming activities that Taller Puertorriqueño has in store for locals and travelers visiting Philadelphia in 2016?
CP: A Thanksgiving for the community and the grand opening of our new building on December.
Join me in expressing thanks to Carlos Pardo for discussing the, food and culture with me!
Seats are limited for the exclusive, one-time screening of the 2016 shnit International Short Film Festival selection at 3PM this weekend (Saturday, October 15th) in Philadelphia, PA.
Men and women in the City of Brotherly Love can now GET TICKETS to see some of the world’s best films!