Sometimes, friendship and romance mix and clash, breaking hearts. And some people like Saul Pena can turn that heartache into wonderful art.
The filmmaker is touring the film festival circuit with “How Do You Capture Desire?,” an animated LGBTQ romantic short that touches the heart and delves into personal introspection with a wise selection of color.
The tender story is inspired by personal experience, according to Pena.
In a tale spanning four seasons, Alex, a student pursuing painting and illustration, develops a deep romantic affection for Jay, his new classmate. Their initial innocent attraction evolves, creating tension as Jay’s attention shifts elsewhere. Burdened by unspoken desires and the pain of unrequited love, Alex grapples with the intricacies of his emotions while channeling his sorrow into his art.
“How Do You Capture Desire?” uses a seasonal palette to express or accentuate moods, from falling in love to sharing moments with someone you care about – to experiencing heartbreak, to looking inward to processing feelings. While not an extreme roller coaster, the relationship has its highs and lows.
Pena’s script and film textures help us relate to Jay and his need for romantic love. Despite its 6-minute length, the film succeeds in presenting a full arc of the main character. It does not have the formulaic ending of popular romantic movies, which is refreshing. Jay eventually learns how to move on, adding a sense of hope and even purpose in the future ahead.
It’s a triumph for Pena. “How Do You Capture Desire?” is his thesis film. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the California College of the Arts last year.
So far, the short has been shown at the Queer Film Fest, San Francisco Indie Shorts, Bay Area and Sacramento Short Film Fest, and at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in Hollywood last weekend.
Pena said he committed to inclusion and diversity in his work.
“I’m passionate about genre storytelling and including more representation in my work, especially from my Latinx and LGBTQA+ communities,” said Pena.