‘‘From Ballet to Cinema’’, meet Sisy M. Gomez Peña

Welcome Sisy, we are very excited to have you today with us to discuss about your work.

Who is Sisy M Gomez Peña, and how did your passion for creating begin?

From a very young age, my life was immersed in the world of art. My mother is a director of children’s theater, and I grew up surrounded by artists, musicians, filmmakers, and theater directors. I began my artistic journey in ballet, studying at the National Ballet School of Cuba, but then I decided to explore other disciplines. I studied acting at the National School of Art (ENA) and finally discovered my true passion in filmmaking, which led me to study Film Direction at the University of the Arts of Cuba (ISA).

These experiences shaped my vision and my love for storytelling through cinema.

Can you tell us about your previous work ?
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work on various projects that explore topics of great social and personal relevance. My focus has always been on addressing internal conflicts, gender issues, and the LGBTQ+ experience, as well as exploring the psychological and emotional aspects of my characters. Among my notable works are short films and documentaries that have been recognized and awarded, such as “Habitación 7,” “Cuando Truena,” and “Reflejos.” Additionally, I have worked in the field of music videos with artists like Descemer Bueno and Aymee Nuviola. My work always seeks to challenge norms and offer an authentic and transgressive vision of the realities I portray.

What inspired you to explore the duality between Zoé’s virtual and real personality? How do you think the digital world affects our understanding of happiness and success?

My inspiration for exploring the duality between Zoé’s virtual and real personality came from my experience working with influencers and social media talents. Upon arriving in the United States, I discovered a world where people not only share their lives on social media but also make a living from it. This phenomenon fascinated me and led me to question how the digital world affects our perception of happiness and success. Social media can be both a powerful tool and a superficial reflection of reality, and I wanted to capture that conflict in Zoé’s story. I believe the digital world can distort our understanding of what it truly means to be happy or successful, and I wanted to explore how this duality impacts the life of someone who, despite seemingly having everything, struggles with deep internal dissatisfaction.

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How does Zoé’s immigrant status influence her journey and struggles in the film? Can you talk about the importance of portraying an immigrant actress as the protagonist?

Zoé’s immigrant status is fundamental to her journey and the struggles she faces in the film. As an immigrant, Zoé finds herself in an unfamiliar and often hostile environment where she must rebuild her identity while dealing with loneliness and isolation. Portraying an immigrant actress as the protagonist is crucial because it offers an authentic and necessary perspective on the experiences that many immigrants live through. It is a way of giving a voice to those who feel invisible and showing that internal struggles are not always related to a lack of external success but rather to a deeper search for identity and belonging in a world that is not always welcoming.

What motivated you to delve into themes of depression and loneliness despite external appearances of success?

I was motivated by the need to demystify the idea that external success guarantees happiness. Often, it is assumed that those who have reached a certain level of recognition or professional success have no reason to feel depressed or lonely. However, the reality is much more complex. I wanted to explore how depression and loneliness can arise in people who, at first glance, seem to have everything. It is important to talk about these themes because they are often hidden behind a facade of success when, in fact, they are deep and real problems that deserve to be brought to light.

What were some of the key decisions you made as a director to represent the marked contrast between Zoé’s virtual and real worlds?

One of the key decisions was how I handled the editing and the use of music to reflect the influence of social media on Zoé’s life. During the scenes where she uses her phone, I wanted to capture that characteristic brightness of social media. The editing has a style similar to that of a music video because, in the end, people edit their lives on social media in a way similar to how a music video is edited: cutting, adjusting, and presenting only what they want to show. This association was intentional, as I not only wrote and directed the short film, but I also took on the editing.

The use of music was another fundamental element. On social media, everything has a soundtrack; natural noises are replaced by music that transforms any scene into something more poetic and emotional. Similarly, I wanted the music in the short film to be present almost throughout, intensifying the emotions and creating a parallel with how social media embellishes reality.

Additionally, I opted for many wide shots and drone footage to emphasize Zoé’s loneliness. Even though she is constantly connected with friends and talking to people on the phone, we never hear what others are saying to her. She seems to be surrounded by people, but in reality, she is completely alone. This contrast between her seemingly active social life and her profound loneliness was something I wanted to highlight through these stylistic choices.

What do you hope the audience takes away, and what emotions or reactions do you intend to evoke through your storytelling?

I hope the audience takes away a deep reflection on the complexity of happiness and the pursuit of success in the digital age. I want them to question appearances and ask themselves what truly makes us happy. Through Zoé’s story, I aim to evoke a mix of empathy, sadness, and self-awareness, inviting viewers to reflect on their own relationship with the digital world and the expectations it generates.

Beyond the influence of social media, I also want the audience to connect with Zoé’s internal conflicts: her struggle with depression and loneliness, despite seemingly having everything she could want. I want the audience to see that happiness is not always achieved through external success or social validation but often requires introspection and a deeper understanding of oneself. My goal is to open a dialogue about how our emotions and well-being can be affected by the invisible pressures of society and how sometimes loneliness can be more present in our lives than we allow ourselves to recognize.

In future projects, do you plan to explore similar genre intersections, or are there other genres you're eager to explore?

I am a filmmaker eager to explore all genres of cinema. I have worked in music videos, fiction, documentaries, and experimental films. Although I have not yet ventured into animation, I have a project written in this genre called “Otro Planeta,” which I co-wrote with my mother. I am currently working on several projects, including a suspense film, two short films in post-production, and a documentary filmed between Cuba and the United States that took me seven years to complete. I am passionate about continuing to explore themes related to women, the LGBTQ+ community, and psychological and emotional conflicts, but I am also open to surprising myself with new genres and approaches.

Can you tease any upcoming projects or themes you're excited to explore in your future works?

In my future projects, I plan to continue exploring the themes that I am passionate about, such as identity, immigration, and psychological and emotional conflicts. I have several scripts written and projects in post-production that touch on these themes. Some of the projects I am currently working on include:

• “Sin Ti…”: A fiction short film featuring Alexis Valdés and Annia Bu.

• “Fe!”: A documentary about the pilgrimage to El Rincón in Cuba and the Cuban devotion to San Lázaro.

• “The Steady Hunting”: A feature-length documentary, a kind of fantastic comedy about the passion of José, my protagonist, in his quest to find Bigfoot.

• “Habitación 7”: A suspense feature film with an exquisite cast of actors.

• “Otro Planeta”: A feature-length animated film that I co-wrote with my mother.

These are just some of the projects I am immersed in, and I will likely continue developing more as I progress. I am passionate about the idea of continuing to explore different genres and challenging myself as a filmmaker.

This marks the conclusion of the interview featuring our esteemed artist, Sisy M Gomez Peña. Our community is growing steadily, with a continuous influx of skilled filmmakers and screenwriters joining us. Explore our other interviews, and consider scheduling one for yourself to showcase your creative endeavors.

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