Ariel Orama Lopez
Ariel Orama Lopez (AG ORLOZ) is a Puerto Rican multi-awarded filmmaker and actor that was eligible for the Oscars 2020, 2021, and 2023. He was the first Puerto Rican selected at the American Pavilion during Cannes 2022. He was one of the finalists of Taller TELEMUNDO: actores, in Miami, directed by the well-known actress nominated for an Oscar in the movie Babel (2006), the distinguished Mexican actress & professor Adriana Barraza. AG has worked in commercials, theatre, short films, indie films, documentary, series, television, media writing, and voice-overs, summing more than 200 projects in arts (2001-2022). He is also a composer and singer: one of his songs (Seré/I'll be) won in Miami and his song (Alto Vuelas/ Flying Higher) was selected as the official Puerto Rican song for the World March from the Peace, celebrated in Argentina and New Zealand. Also, AG was selected as the Creative Coach & Consultant for the television program Idol Kids Puerto Rico (from the recognized English franchise Idol ©). He has received more than 100 laurels and 50 international prizes in roles of producer, director, and actor: ONE (about the thousands of lives lost because of the Hurricane Maria) was presented in all the continents of the World. It includes the tenor voice of Antonio Barasorda (RIP). The Puerto Rican actor has received different awards in performing arts, including Best Direction, Best Leading Actor, Best Concept, Best Short Film, and Best Script.
1. Your project has entered in our festival. What is your project about?
My new animated short film Princëney presents the vicissitudes of a Caribbean boy, without blue blood and very independent, who is only interested in one ultimate goal, as his greatest wish: to be, nothing more and nothing less than a prince. I really wanted to contribute to the history of animated movies since I was a child and, now, as an adult, I aspired to incorporate diversity and the Caribbean in a more visible way.
This new short is based on a new Caribbean fairy tale that I wrote in the first months of the pandemic (2020) and was inspired by one of my greatest role models, Walter Elias Disney. I decided to propose a brave and new perspective to Disney's vision on what a principality should be, closer to 2023 in a post-pandemic World. That is how my short film Princëney was finally born, in collaboration with the Peruvian animator, Jorge Caceres, a few months ago. Thanks God and the Angels that surround this emotive story, It was already screened in commercial cinema in Los Angeles, California, through its participation by invitation in the "Shorts by the Sea" Festival, have received its first laurels, prizes and mentions, and was considered for the Oscars 2023, being my third consecutive consideration as a Puerto Rican filmmaker.
2. What are your ambitions with your project?
I am very interested that animated diversity projects as my short film Princëney, that includes, for the very first time, a LGBTTQIA+ Caribbean candidate to become a prince can be seriously considered, and more so, when companies or production teams such as Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks and Universal have not yet dared to launch a whole story of an LGBTTQ+ prince candidate: we urge more LGBTQIIA+ leading roles and meaningful stories that can change lives or inspire.
3. Tell us somethng about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
Interestingly, our animated project was finished in the middle of Hurricane Fiona. We thought we were not going to be able to finalize it according to its formal screening in Los Angeles the Academy dates: thank God, it was considered for Oscars and was presented in the Academy Screening Room (ASR) along with the special selection of short films that also met the criteria.
4. For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
My new short film Princëney (like the rest of my projects) is suitable for the whole family, without forgetting that from our perspective it is relevant to include elements of diversity.
5. Why should distributors buy your film?
Princëney is very well defined in its structure, with very demarcated characters, and it lends itself to becoming a feature film as well as a series.
6. How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
In terms of Princëney, particularly, I thought in every element, colors, style of drawing, and development of characters for my first complete animated short film. While I discover how to be part of Disney projects (a very ambitious, but meaningful goal) I chose to create my own parallel universe beyond Disney and Pixar so that my diversity character Princëney could exist: I'm sure viewers will love him, for his great sensitivity and personal strength, as well as they will love the rest of the funny and enigmatic characters that make up the project. I want to express my gratitude to the Puerto Rican artist (and old friend) Peter Alexander Grossen and to the Mexican lawyer Christian Gurgua for their substantial contribution to the visuality element in the story.
7. Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
Since 2001, I began my journey as an Puerto Rican leading actor and, subsequently (2009), as an independent filmmaker. I had the blessing of receiving more than 100 international laurels and 50 awards, which summed to the great opportunity of being the first Puerto Rican in presenting in the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase during Cannes 2022. I received the prize "Líderes de América" in Mexico and was nominated to the Earthshot Prize (Prince William), twice, for my contribution to the arts, experiences that I will remember forever. As something that I never imagined, in the last months of 2022 and in the midst of challenges that provoked the Hurricane Fiona, I am still celebrating the opportunity of being considered for the Oscars (Short Film Category) three times, consecutively, being the last eligibility few weeks ago.
It should be noted that Puerto Rico has not yet won a gold statuette at the Oscars in the directing category. For this new project, I enjoyed the possibility of executing multiple roles as a director, screenwriter, producer, leading actor, editor supervision, and singer-songwriter: it enriched my life as an artist and gave me the opportunity of observing the film process from different perspectives.
Winning the golden statuette has never been my ultimate goal. What does interest me is that the distinguished Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and complementary companies such as Disney and Pixar (from which I have consumed many of their products), or admired directors such as Steven Spielberg and Del Toro, whom I greatly respect, can appreciate that our Island / Archipelago is a beautiful "locus amoenus" for developing updated projects that represent our heritage and that there is also human capital in acting, based in Puerto Rico, that is worthy of Hollywood films, particularly in leading roles. We urge visibility and this is my primary goal.
As islanders, we urge the same visibility that our Latin American brothers have or even our brothers of Puerto Rican descent, based in different parts of the world. Princëney is an invitation to get to know our Island/Archipelago properly, as well as our diversity, level of creativity and what we are made of, In Princëney, I put all my effort in highlighting elements and symbols of Puerto Rico, as the the luminescent bay with the Guinness record for brilliance and the representative petroglyph of the "Sun" of the "tainos". I also made a wink to Walt Disney through the name I conceptualized for the project and for my leading masculine character. For this occasion, I incorporated the characteristic musical element of Disney animations, through my composition "Guaitiao" (M & Lyrics – AG Orloz | Music arrangement: Jorge Vizcarrondo), sung by Princëney himself while a scene of magical places on the Island takes place, called for effects of the short film as "Stellar". The short film also features award-winning composers Danielle Carretta (Italy) and Rafael Fernández (Spain) in a perfect match for the background music, along with a select group of actors, actresses, and audiovisual artists from Puerto Rico, Mexico Dominican Republic, Colombia, and the United States.
Surely, Princëney emerges at a good moment, particularly in times in which the Academy has shown greater inclusion of Latino talent and representation of LGBTTQIA+ talent. I have admired the work of Walt Disney for years, for which its work pays tribute to the creator of animated characters with worldwide projection, as well as extends an invitation to the company that bears his last name to be more incisive when it comes to incorporating more inclusive leading actors, who are capable of breaking the mold and from stories that promote a positive outcome.
I am sure that someone as brilliant and with a futuristic mind as Walter Elias Disney could had foreseen that our vision for Princëney was appropriate for these times, and more, with a centenary trajectory. For all these reasons, I greatly celebrate the birth of Princëney, my first Caribbean animated project, right on the date of the celebration of Disney's 100 years of magic.
8. Who is your role model?
Considering that I am both an actor and a director, I have three role models that are present in my actual vision. Guillermo del Toro and James Cameron are definitely my examples to emulate, considering that both love telling stories that contain secret passageways and magical elements. Precisely, my ultimate goal is to continue developing meaningful projects that contribute to the collective evolution of human beings and that serve as a inspiration for those who yearn to achieve their dreams, in a world of succesive challenges. For example, I always wanted to perform a male leading animated character for Disney, who can represent diversity and minorities, broke schemes and stereotypes, just as one of my new favorite actors, also representative of diversity, Luke MacFarlane. It's great for me to be able to learn from Luke, from his verisimilitude in his performance, and it's good to know that there is an actor standing out in Hollywood who represents diversity and who is worthy of emulation on many levels: I found a role model and and inspiration in a leading actor and humble human being. That is great for my personal and professional development, and it is also a great inspiration.
9. Which movies are your favorites? Why?
My favorite films are typically those that are capable of orchestrating all the elements that make up a film as a whole, creating a product with identity and worth emulating. I can mention countless of them, however, if I mentioned a recent one, I would say Avatar II, since it denotes a great acting, musical, visual and production work that exceeds all expectations. The ingenious way of creating a different universe and the meticulous care when using new technology changed the way of making three-dimensional cinema, for which James Cameron and his team (Dylan Cole, Simon Franglen, among other ingenious artists) they never cease to amaze me. It would be great to be able to be part of a film project like Avatar, which is inclusive and questions whether there is still a need to establish social, racial and even gender differences in a World in transformation.
10. Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
The sea is my greatest inspiration as an emergent filmmaker, since 2009: water is a fundamental element in each of my film projects. In Princëney, I put all my effort in highlighting elements and symbols of Puerto Rico, as the the luminescent bay with the Guinness record for brilliance and the representative petroglyph of the "Sun" of the "tainos". I also made a wink to Walt Disney through the name I conceptualized for the project and for my leading masculine character. For this occasion, I incorporated the characteristic musical element of Disney animations, through my composition "Guaitiao" (M & Lyrics – AG Orloz | Music arrangement: Jorge Vizcarrondo), sung by Princëney himself while a scene of magical places on the Island takes place, called for effects of the short film as "Stellar". The short film also features award-winning composers Danielle Carretta (Italy) and Rafael Fernández (Spain) in a perfect match for the background music, along with a select group of actors, actresses, and audiovisual artists from Puerto Rico, Mexico Dominican Republic, Colombia, and the United States.
11. Which topics interest you the most?
Being a director and and also a leading actor in my projects represent a continuous challenge: I have been exposed to training in the fine arts, even in the United States, through acting courses for film, as well as film and genre (scholarship), at the New York Film Academy and New York University, respectively. This last experience was after the ravages of Hurricane Category V Maria in Puerto Rico. I am considered as one of the notable students of the New York FIlm Academy headquarters in Los Angeles, a distinction that inspires me to continue my journey as an eternal apprentice. with all the challenges it conveys. Considering all these elements, I must say that I love the process of learning, developing characters that challenge the norm and directing films related to gender, climate change and social justice.
12. What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
Definitely, I can evoke two achievements that changed my life: first, the opportunity of being considered three times, consecutively, for the Oscars (in the short film category) as a Puerto Rican born and living on the Island. Also, I must mention the heaven gift of being the first Puerto Rican to present at the American Pavilion in Cannes 2022, one of the most wonderful experiences I never imagined in the book of my life. I think that I have already achieved more than I expected, and I hope to continue contributing to the seventh art, from other perspectives.
13. What do you consider most important about filming?
The most important thing about the process of filming is getting to recognize your identity as a director. Once you discover this element and the quintessence of your art, you are able to create new projects that have your essence, without necessarily repeating yourself. On the other hand, respect for the actors and the production team is fundamental.
1. Your project has entered in our festival. What is your project about?
My new animated short film Princëney presents the vicissitudes of a Caribbean boy, without blue blood and very independent, who is only interested in one ultimate goal, as his greatest wish: to be, nothing more and nothing less than a prince. I really wanted to contribute to the history of animated movies since I was a child and, now, as an adult, I aspired to incorporate diversity and the Caribbean in a more visible way.
This new short is based on a new Caribbean fairy tale that I wrote in the first months of the pandemic (2020) and was inspired by one of my greatest role models, Walter Elias Disney. I decided to propose a brave and new perspective to Disney's vision on what a principality should be, closer to 2023 in a post-pandemic World. That is how my short film Princëney was finally born, in collaboration with the Peruvian animator, Jorge Caceres, a few months ago. Thanks God and the Angels that surround this emotive story, It was already screened in commercial cinema in Los Angeles, California, through its participation by invitation in the "Shorts by the Sea" Festival, have received its first laurels, prizes and mentions, and was considered for the Oscars 2023, being my third consecutive consideration as a Puerto Rican filmmaker.
2. What are your ambitions with your project?
I am very interested that animated diversity projects as my short film Princëney, that includes, for the very first time, a LGBTTQIA+ Caribbean candidate to become a prince can be seriously considered, and more so, when companies or production teams such as Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks and Universal have not yet dared to launch a whole story of an LGBTTQ+ prince candidate: we urge more LGBTQIIA+ leading roles and meaningful stories that can change lives or inspire.
3. Tell us somethng about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
Interestingly, our animated project was finished in the middle of Hurricane Fiona. We thought we were not going to be able to finalize it according to its formal screening in Los Angeles the Academy dates: thank God, it was considered for Oscars and was presented in the Academy Screening Room (ASR) along with the special selection of short films that also met the criteria.
4. For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
My new short film Princëney (like the rest of my projects) is suitable for the whole family, without forgetting that from our perspective it is relevant to include elements of diversity.
5. Why should distributors buy your film?
Princëney is very well defined in its structure, with very demarcated characters, and it lends itself to becoming a feature film as well as a series.
6. How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
In terms of Princëney, particularly, I thought in every element, colors, style of drawing, and development of characters for my first complete animated short film. While I discover how to be part of Disney projects (a very ambitious, but meaningful goal) I chose to create my own parallel universe beyond Disney and Pixar so that my diversity character Princëney could exist: I'm sure viewers will love him, for his great sensitivity and personal strength, as well as they will love the rest of the funny and enigmatic characters that make up the project. I want to express my gratitude to the Puerto Rican artist (and old friend) Peter Alexander Grossen and to the Mexican lawyer Christian Gurgua for their substantial contribution to the visuality element in the story.
7. Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
Since 2001, I began my journey as an Puerto Rican leading actor and, subsequently (2009), as an independent filmmaker. I had the blessing of receiving more than 100 international laurels and 50 awards, which summed to the great opportunity of being the first Puerto Rican in presenting in the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase during Cannes 2022. I received the prize "Líderes de América" in Mexico and was nominated to the Earthshot Prize (Prince William), twice, for my contribution to the arts, experiences that I will remember forever. As something that I never imagined, in the last months of 2022 and in the midst of challenges that provoked the Hurricane Fiona, I am still celebrating the opportunity of being considered for the Oscars (Short Film Category) three times, consecutively, being the last eligibility few weeks ago.
It should be noted that Puerto Rico has not yet won a gold statuette at the Oscars in the directing category. For this new project, I enjoyed the possibility of executing multiple roles as a director, screenwriter, producer, leading actor, editor supervision, and singer-songwriter: it enriched my life as an artist and gave me the opportunity of observing the film process from different perspectives.
Winning the golden statuette has never been my ultimate goal. What does interest me is that the distinguished Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and complementary companies such as Disney and Pixar (from which I have consumed many of their products), or admired directors such as Steven Spielberg and Del Toro, whom I greatly respect, can appreciate that our Island / Archipelago is a beautiful "locus amoenus" for developing updated projects that represent our heritage and that there is also human capital in acting, based in Puerto Rico, that is worthy of Hollywood films, particularly in leading roles. We urge visibility and this is my primary goal.
As islanders, we urge the same visibility that our Latin American brothers have or even our brothers of Puerto Rican descent, based in different parts of the world. Princëney is an invitation to get to know our Island/Archipelago properly, as well as our diversity, level of creativity and what we are made of, In Princëney, I put all my effort in highlighting elements and symbols of Puerto Rico, as the the luminescent bay with the Guinness record for brilliance and the representative petroglyph of the "Sun" of the "tainos". I also made a wink to Walt Disney through the name I conceptualized for the project and for my leading masculine character. For this occasion, I incorporated the characteristic musical element of Disney animations, through my composition "Guaitiao" (M & Lyrics – AG Orloz | Music arrangement: Jorge Vizcarrondo), sung by Princëney himself while a scene of magical places on the Island takes place, called for effects of the short film as "Stellar". The short film also features award-winning composers Danielle Carretta (Italy) and Rafael Fernández (Spain) in a perfect match for the background music, along with a select group of actors, actresses, and audiovisual artists from Puerto Rico, Mexico Dominican Republic, Colombia, and the United States.
Surely, Princëney emerges at a good moment, particularly in times in which the Academy has shown greater inclusion of Latino talent and representation of LGBTTQIA+ talent. I have admired the work of Walt Disney for years, for which its work pays tribute to the creator of animated characters with worldwide projection, as well as extends an invitation to the company that bears his last name to be more incisive when it comes to incorporating more inclusive leading actors, who are capable of breaking the mold and from stories that promote a positive outcome.
I am sure that someone as brilliant and with a futuristic mind as Walter Elias Disney could had foreseen that our vision for Princëney was appropriate for these times, and more, with a centenary trajectory. For all these reasons, I greatly celebrate the birth of Princëney, my first Caribbean animated project, right on the date of the celebration of Disney's 100 years of magic.
8. Who is your role model?
Considering that I am both an actor and a director, I have three role models that are present in my actual vision. Guillermo del Toro and James Cameron are definitely my examples to emulate, considering that both love telling stories that contain secret passageways and magical elements. Precisely, my ultimate goal is to continue developing meaningful projects that contribute to the collective evolution of human beings and that serve as a inspiration for those who yearn to achieve their dreams, in a world of succesive challenges. For example, I always wanted to perform a male leading animated character for Disney, who can represent diversity and minorities, broke schemes and stereotypes, just as one of my new favorite actors, also representative of diversity, Luke MacFarlane. It's great for me to be able to learn from Luke, from his verisimilitude in his performance, and it's good to know that there is an actor standing out in Hollywood who represents diversity and who is worthy of emulation on many levels: I found a role model and and inspiration in a leading actor and humble human being. That is great for my personal and professional development, and it is also a great inspiration.
9. Which movies are your favorites? Why?
My favorite films are typically those that are capable of orchestrating all the elements that make up a film as a whole, creating a product with identity and worth emulating. I can mention countless of them, however, if I mentioned a recent one, I would say Avatar II, since it denotes a great acting, musical, visual and production work that exceeds all expectations. The ingenious way of creating a different universe and the meticulous care when using new technology changed the way of making three-dimensional cinema, for which James Cameron and his team (Dylan Cole, Simon Franglen, among other ingenious artists) they never cease to amaze me. It would be great to be able to be part of a film project like Avatar, which is inclusive and questions whether there is still a need to establish social, racial and even gender differences in a World in transformation.
10. Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
The sea is my greatest inspiration as an emergent filmmaker, since 2009: water is a fundamental element in each of my film projects. In Princëney, I put all my effort in highlighting elements and symbols of Puerto Rico, as the the luminescent bay with the Guinness record for brilliance and the representative petroglyph of the "Sun" of the "tainos". I also made a wink to Walt Disney through the name I conceptualized for the project and for my leading masculine character. For this occasion, I incorporated the characteristic musical element of Disney animations, through my composition "Guaitiao" (M & Lyrics – AG Orloz | Music arrangement: Jorge Vizcarrondo), sung by Princëney himself while a scene of magical places on the Island takes place, called for effects of the short film as "Stellar". The short film also features award-winning composers Danielle Carretta (Italy) and Rafael Fernández (Spain) in a perfect match for the background music, along with a select group of actors, actresses, and audiovisual artists from Puerto Rico, Mexico Dominican Republic, Colombia, and the United States.
11. Which topics interest you the most?
Being a director and and also a leading actor in my projects represent a continuous challenge: I have been exposed to training in the fine arts, even in the United States, through acting courses for film, as well as film and genre (scholarship), at the New York Film Academy and New York University, respectively. This last experience was after the ravages of Hurricane Category V Maria in Puerto Rico. I am considered as one of the notable students of the New York FIlm Academy headquarters in Los Angeles, a distinction that inspires me to continue my journey as an eternal apprentice. with all the challenges it conveys. Considering all these elements, I must say that I love the process of learning, developing characters that challenge the norm and directing films related to gender, climate change and social justice.
12. What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
Definitely, I can evoke two achievements that changed my life: first, the opportunity of being considered three times, consecutively, for the Oscars (in the short film category) as a Puerto Rican born and living on the Island. Also, I must mention the heaven gift of being the first Puerto Rican to present at the American Pavilion in Cannes 2022, one of the most wonderful experiences I never imagined in the book of my life. I think that I have already achieved more than I expected, and I hope to continue contributing to the seventh art, from other perspectives.
13. What do you consider most important about filming?
The most important thing about the process of filming is getting to recognize your identity as a director. Once you discover this element and the quintessence of your art, you are able to create new projects that have your essence, without necessarily repeating yourself. On the other hand, respect for the actors and the production team is fundamental.
14. Which film technique of shooting do you consider the best?
More than any particular technique, I consider that the most surprising thing has been the challenges that post-pandemic cinema has entailed. For example, I had the opportunity to create a short film in full confinement, without interaction between two actors. Being able to recreate a natural conversation that never happened (through the union of two monologues I created for a colleague and me) was a production challenge, and we successfully accomplished it. Definitely, technology with cell phones and sophisticated equipment of a reduced size (even for lighting) will continue to evolve the way of making movies.
15. How would you rate/What is your opinion about current filmmaking?
I think there is a pre-pandemic cinema and a post-pandemic cinema. I have nothing but praise for all those who continue to contribute to the seventh art, in creative ways, despite the economic, territorial and even health challenges that the pandemic has brought.
16. What can disappoint you in a movie?
I think that if a film is a true copy of another previous film, it would definitely not be my favorite. However, each film entails great challenges and it is worth emulating the creative process that it entails.
17. Who supports you in your film career?
My projects have been financed by people close to me and by me: I have never obtained additional funds and it has been the best, since I have been able to create, from limitations and reach places as distant as the Academy Screening Room or the American Pavilion in Cannes. It would be a great honor if a company, another country or a producer discover that I can do more or reach more contexts with my art.
18. What are the reactions to your film? (opinion of spectators, film critics, friends and family).
I think the best surprise from the spectators has been the opportunity winning more than 100 laurels and 50 international awards, and that one of my short films was shown in all the inhabited continents of the world (Short Film ONE). Thank God, the opinions have been very positive in different countries and inspire me to continue learning, as an emerging filmmaker.I have the blessing of having good friends and distinguished colleagues of the arts
that believe in my arts and my family support me with love in each further step.
19. Have you already visited any of the prestigious film festivals?
Definitely, Cannes 2022 was the best experience of my life in the cinematographic field. Beyond having crossed the red carpet several times (surreal experience), the opportunity to be right in front of the Cannes stage, to be able to stand on it and feel its essence, as well as the privilege of meeting Guillermo del Toro were moments that inspired me to continue refining my art.
20. What are your future plans in filmmaking carriere?
Let life surprise me: beyond continuing to make movies, with my heart, everything else that comes from it will be a fascinating gift that I will treasure forever.
Learn more about Ariel at IMDB