Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alfredo Achar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alfredo, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

There are three very meaningful projects I have been lucky to be a part of. The first is The GuadaLAjara Film Festival (GLAFF) which is a sister festival to the Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara in Mexico, but GLAFF takes place in Los Angeles. I am in the main board of producers and work as a Programming Director in the selection and curation of the festival’s official selection of films, short films, premieres, events, master classes and honorees each year. GLAFF seeks to identify, nurture and empower all generations of Latin-American and BIPOC filmmakers with an emphasis on the unification of creative minds and building bridges between the U.S. and Latin America. In other words, and the reason why it is so meaningful to me is I get to create and curate these bridges between films, creatives and filmmakers from both Latin America and the US to give them a space and a platform in Los Angeles to showcase their work. I get to provide the LA community of creatives and people who love film with a space to celebrate cinema and art that is created and produced on both of these territories.
Second project that has been very meaningful is a short film I co-produced titled “The Mourning Of” directed by Merced Elizondo. This project is a story that is very meaningful to everyone who is part of my producing team because it is raw, poetic, and deeply personal. Even though long, it has been a very exciting journey since shooting in Dallas, Texas to winning Best Live Action Short Film at the St. Louis International Film Festival, and soon to be screened in other festivals this summer.
The third project that I am really proud to have been a part of is having the opportunity to be one of the publicists working on the Oscar Winning Film from Brazil “I’m Still Here”, and running the awards campaign along with my team. Not only this became one of my absolute favorite films of all time, it was so meaningful to be able to put together a strategic awards campaign that took us to the Golden Globes and then the Oscars.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I believe something that is key, especially in todays world, even in Los Angels, is that creatives and their art would be highly benefited if people recognize art and creativity as a necessity for cultural expansion and expression. We need more public and private funding especially for art that isn’t always or necessarily contingent on commercial viability. At the end of the day, supporting artists is about creating a culture that values imagination as much as productivity, and artists are not only storytellers but truth-tellers.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I believe authentic relationships with people you meet throughout your career are the most valuable resource. I had to learn not to be afraid to ask for help, advice or even a recommendation. People want to help, and I’ve found sometimes those simple asks often lead to the biggest breakthroughs. It’s about showing up for each other, because you also don’t know when you will need to be a resource to someone else.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alfredo.achar/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredoachar/