U.S. HISPANIC
Blue Rabbit Films: Objetos no Identificados is a US film with a Colombian heart
Maribel Ramos-Weiner| 1 de noviembre de 2023
Julieth Restrepo Sebastian Zuleta Blue Rabbit Films
The independent film Objetos no Identificados, produced by Blue Rabbit Films, a company based in Los Angeles and founded by Colombians Julieth Restrepo and Sebastián Zuleta, was well received by critics in the US. The story features two outsiders, a small homosexual and a woman who is a sex worker, who embark on a trip to a place where they believe an extraterrestrial visit will take place.
Behind the film, which premiered in Colombian movie theaters on Thursday, October 26, is a crew 80% Colombian, led by director Juan Felipe Zuleta, with Julieth and Sebastián as executive producers.
“As Latinos, we had to make our way in the industry in a country which is not our own. It is very nice to see in this film that most of the heads of department are Colombians, including the production designer, the director of photography, the director, the composer, the producer, and us as executive producers. With this film, we also want to give voice to that diversity we want to see in cinema on the screen and behind it,” said Julieth Restrepo, also an actress who has performed in dozens of Colombian and American productions (Noticia de un Secuestro, A Mano Limpia, Laura, la Santa Colombiana, Loving Pablo, Hardwired).
The shooting took place in the US during the pandemic and stars Sarah Hay (Golden Globe nominee for Flesh and Bone) and Matthew Jeffers (New Amsterdam); it is the debut feature of Juan Felipe Zuleta, in addition to being the first feature film of Blue Rabbit Films, which previously produced shorts such as Kiss to Keaven.
“It is a US film with a Colombian heart. It is in English, on locations in that country, but when you find out about the entire Colombian team behind it, you begin to see it differently. I also ambitiously want to think that the film is universal because people worldwide can identify with it,” added Restrepo.
COMPLEX CHARACTERS
Executive producer Sebastián Zuleta highlighted that these are characters with universal problems that have existed since the beginning of time: “I fell in love with the complexity of the characters because they were also not one-dimensional, but rather had depth with moments of great pain. You can see how they have created a shell to cover that up.”
Both producers agree that having underrepresented characters in audiovisuals and society, in general, raises many questions among the viewers. “It is an opportunity to start conversations that unusually take place. These people have so much to say, and we have not been listening for a long time; it is fascinating to begin to delve into that world,” Restrepo reflected.
Sebastián Zuleta, brother of the director and husband of Julieth, composed the film’s music but in an unusual way for cinema, meaning, at the same time that the script was being developed. “Thanks to this, when the edition began, we already had a library of sounds and music available. It was very cool to start from the beginning and be so close to the story,” he noted.
After screening Objetos no Identificados at different festivals worldwide and premiering in theaters in Colombia, Blue Rabbit Films hopes to have the film in most Latin countries. “As people from the region, it is a look that interests us quite a bit,” said Zuleta. Also, they are already working on new film projects, one that will be filmed in Colombia.
