We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andres Londono a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Andres, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

When the Hollywood strikes took place last year and the entire industry froze, I decided to take the risk of creating an entire feature film on my own and without a budget. Only using the resources I had available to me. I am the writer, director, producer, editor, co-cinematographer, co-scorer, and lead actor of “A Day for Driving”, Official Selection and Best Feature Film Award by the Judges Finalist at SF3 Film Festival Sydney, Australia . Also a Special Screening at FICEM Palenque Film Festival in Cartagena, Colombia. It will also be available online from November 17th through December 2nd. More details at Instagram: andreslondono.g
Not only I embarked on a task that normally requires, at the very least, dozens of people from different departments, but I was also working with very limited resources. It took me only 3 months from conception to delivery. Needless to say this was an experiment that I wasn’t even sure I could pull off at the time. But I did, and it has been one of the works I’m most proud of in my career even though I have been a part of many major productions throughout my years in the industry. This risk was life changing to me in more ways than one, but mostly it empowered me. It turned me into a decision maker. As an actor or even a filmmaker we usually need approval from so many other people, departments, entities, investors, in order to tell our stories through film. In this particular case, I gave myself that approval. I greenlit my film. And that is powerful.

Andres, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I moved to New York as a teenager to study acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. I got involved in several theatre productions in NYC and acted in my first short film. In 2001 I moved to Los Angeles to continue my studies at Stella Adler Academy and began working professionally after signing with a talent agent. Some of my most recent roles include Enrique Clavel “Narcos Mexico” (Netflix), Castillo “Mil Colmillos aka Thousand Fangs” (HBO), Oscar Diaz “Fear The Walking Dead” (AMC) Oscar in the feature film “Llanto Maldito” (HBO) for which I received a Colombian Academy award nomination for best actor in a leading role in 2022.

I run my own production company, Mango Verde Entertainment and have directed, produced, starred and co-written the short “Romeo Is Breathing” Official Selection of Dublin Smartphone Film Festival 2021 and the 2024 feature film “A Day for Driving” Official Selection and Best Feature Film finalist at SF3 Also screening at FICEM Palenque and online. Find out more details at Instagram: andreslondono.g
Currently I have several projects under development through my production company and I am also gearing up to lead a feature film in early 2025.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

See our work. Enjoy it. Share it and tell your friends and family about it. come to the theaters, galleries, venues. invite us into your life by watching, seeing and listening to our work. Go see our movies and plays, watch our shows, go to our festivals, concerts, exhibitions and read our books. Let us in, we come bearing gifts.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

We are all creative people. Some make it a profession or a hobby, and some are creatives in their everyday life. Whipping out breakfast is creative. Taking a different route to work, figuring out how to compliment someone, deciding on an investment or even choosing what clothes to wear are all creative. We are all connected through art and creativity. It is why we connect with a painting, a song, or cry at the movies. We all speak the language. It’s part of our DNA because there is nothing more creative than nature.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: andreslondono.g
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mangoverdeentertainment?si=xKJozfoBmKbATUI9