Above The Line: Working With Actors

ABOVE THE LINE: Working with Actors with Carla Forte, Carlos Antonio Leon & Jose Manuel Dominguez!

TOPICS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED:

• Relationship with the Director• Actors Building a Character• The Process• Rehearsals vs Shooting Days

THE FILMMAKERS:

Carla Forte / Writer and Director

Carla Forte was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and lives and works in Miami, Florida. Forte, first trained as a contemporary dancer, received a bachelor's degree, earning the highest GPA at the Dance University Institute in Caracas - Venezuela (2000-2004). Forte soon established herself as an interdisciplinary artist incorporating dance, film and performance through different media, focusing on emotions as a starting point. She is the co-founder and film director of the Bistoury Physical Theatre and Film (2007 - Present) in Miami, Florida. Her feature films and experimental pieces have been screened at prominent film festivals and galleries such as: "75 Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Salerno'' Salerno-Italy (2021); "The University Galleries of Florida Atlantic University" Boca Raton-Florida (2021); "CICA Museum" Gyeonggi-do- South Korea (2021); "16 SANFIC Santiago Festival Internacional de Cine Chile" (2021); "62 Rochester International Film Festival’' (2020); "37 Miami Film Festival'' Miami- Florida (2020); "OGA VideoArt Exhibitions" Roma, Italy (2018); “41st Atlanta Film Festival’' Atlanta- Georgia (2017); "Cube Art Project" Lincoln- Nebraska (2017); "Les Instants Video" Marseille- France (2014), among others. Her works have been acquired by Gravitas Adventures, South Florida PBS and Troma Entertainment. Forte has won commissions, awards and artistic residencies from prestigious programs such as South Florida Cultural Consortium Miami- Florida (2021); The 66th Flaherty Seminar NY- NY (2021); Dance Miami Choreographers Miami- Florida (2020); Knight Arts Challenge Miami- Florida (2019); En Residencia Koubek Center Miami- Florida (2019); FONLAD Residency Program Coimbra- Portugal (2018) and Berlinale Talent Berlin-Germany (2017).

Carlos Antonio / Actor and Producer

Carlos Antonio Leon is a Venezuelan actor with a career that spans over 20 Years in South America and the US. He has starred in films such as "Suddenly, A Film" directed by Luis Armando Roche, the thriller “Complot” the award-winning “The 86" “The Third Wish” “A Paper Tiger Burns” and “Steel Clad.” In the US Carlos played "Lazarus" in "Shadowland", faced zombies in "Sound of Nothing," and can be seen in “The Pit,” the pilots "Untold" and “Get it Together” in "Job's Daughter” and the sensational. “Ann” for which he was named Best Actor of 2018 by the Caracas Critics Circle, Best Performance at Santo Domingo OutFest 2017, Best Protagonist at Social Machinery Film Festival in Italy 2017, Best Performance of Fest by Actors’ Awards I’m Los Angeles and Especial Mention by IndieFEST 2018.

Jose Manuel Dominguez / Actor

José Manuel Domínguez is a Cuban – American performing artist, educator, and producer. He graduated from the Instituto Superior de Artes (ISA), Havana, Cuba in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in Acting and Theater Direction.With the support of a group of friends and collaborators, Dominguez founded Antiheroes Project, Inc. a non-profit organization to create and present contemporary performing arts works, literary events and year-round workshop series. Another key differentiator of Dominguez’s work is the emphasis on the inclusion of people with and without disabilities in his projects. During all these years, Domínguez has directed, performed, and collaborated with ensembles in Cuba, México, Spain, and the United States. As part of his artistic ventures, he has been invited to participate in dance – theater, visual arts, and indie film projects. His most relevant intervention in local cinematography is his association with Bistoury Physical Theater and Film Productions, which comprises his roles in Urban Stories (2010), Ann (2016), and Miki Maniac (2021), all under the direction of film director and dancer Carla Forte. Dominguez’s work has received the support of some of the most prestigious local and national organizations. Following his mentors’ legacy, he gambles on an idealistic, philosophical, and transcendent quest with the goal of bringing a fresh and innovative collaborative voice to the contemporary scene of South Florida.