Every now and then, a country emerges from decades of oppression and a film industry, once squashed lest it tell truths uncomfortable for the powers that be, begins to blossom with new, unfettered voices.
“Cadejo Blanco” is a gritty and grueling film that follows the transformation of the younger sister of a young woman who disappears, sinking into the criminal underworld of Puerto Barrios as she seeks out revenge on those responsible for her sister’s disappearance.You used a mix of professional actors and others who had never acted before. What was that like?
Even though you have spent a lot of time in Guatemala, was it difficult to recreate a world that is both socially and culturally different from your own? I discussed the character extensively with Karen Martínez, and with Tatiana Palomo, an acting coach. Together, we developed a general understanding that Cadejo Blanco begins as a mystery/thriller about a girl searching for her sister, and then slowly, it becomes a story about Sarita’s transformation.