Photo credit: Bart De BoisBlanc
Catalina Querida is a very creative filmmaker out of Texas who talks about her seasoned directing and acting career in horror and indie filmmaking. While leading Little Spark Films, she’s built an impressive list of horror shorts, as well as having worked with Troma. Querida discusses her creative process, her inspirations, and what we can expect from her next.
First of all, please introduce yourself.
I’m Catalina Querida, my film team is Little Spark Films, we’re an independent film collective based in Dallas/Fort Worth Texas. Currently in post production for our first feature, Vicemares, about a middle aged lawyer and a trip to a cabin that spins out of control. Several of our shorts found a home recently in Troma’s Grindsploitation 9 & 10. We also work closely with the Pyramid Gallery of New York and ConfigurationBoxes.com to provide microshorts showcasing their configuration boxes.
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I think it’s a fun genre. I also love that it’s such a wide genre. You can do pretty much anything within the confines of horror because it’s such a large playground. I always had interest in film, but didn’t think it would ever be possible to join the industry. We started in music videos and our first short was shot in one sweltering summer afternoon. It’s not up to my standards, but I’m still incredibly proud that it got done and into a festival. I do write and direct, but I feel my producing duties are important. I like to be on set making sure everyone gets heard and fed and hydrated.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
Clive Barker. He’s faced so many obstacles in filmmaking, his last director credit was Lord of Illusions (1995), writing, art, and life that I honestly love hearing what he has to say. His world view is very beautiful and helps see the reflections that we sometimes miss in the dark.
Women in horror have made great strides, but it’s clear that a lot of work is still needed to make it a most inclusive genre. To you, what is the importance of a movement like Women in Horror Month?
It’s a wonderful idea to celebrate specifically women in a genre that we have helped shape but often get pushed aside. One of my grips told me the other day that she’s constantly harassed on other sets because “filmmaking is a man’s job.” It’s incredibly disheartening to hear people still think this way. If anything, I love hearing from all kinds of viewpoints because it helps keep our world view open. WIHM is just a facet of bringing awareness that it is important to celebrate the creativity that comes from all these jobs.
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/identifying as a women as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
People work on assumptions so you have to keep reminding yourself that you can’t make everyone happy. It’s hard to remember too. I follow a lot of inspirational feeds on my instagram just to keep it in mind. Be truthful, send out those manifestations to the world, the right people will find you.
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
Always finish projects. That from my first Texas Frightmare Weekend when we were still new. It’s stuck with me. Thank you Rachel Moody of Last Girl Standing (2015)!
In honor of celebrating Women in Horror Month, who do you believe viewers should keep an eye on in terms of the creative ladies in horror?
TheSuperghoul.com
https://www.instagram.com/livin6dead6irl/
https://www.instagram.com/wendylynn1/
https://www.instagram.com/evil_dead_1981/
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
Vicemares Post Production Indiegogo
Pop them links to follow your work here:
LittleSparkFilms.net
Facebook.com/LittleSparkFilms
Facebook.com/CatalinaQueridaPerformance
Instagram.com/CatalinaQuerida
Instagram.com/LittleSparkFilms
Twitter.com/CatalinaQuerida
Twitter.com/LSFTweets
TikTok @LittleSparkDFW
YouTube.com/LittleSparkFilms
www.LittleSparkFilms.net
Http://Vimeo.com/LittleSparkFilms
www.facebook.com/LittleSparkFilms
Watch the trailer for our new movie “THE TORTURER”
https://www.youtube.com/TheTorturerTrailer
Check out the promo for our newest and craziest project,
“VICEMARES”
https://www.youtube.com/VicemaresPlaylist
Enjoy our latest micro short series “THE HELLBOUND LAMENTS”
https://www.littlesparkfilms.net/hellbound-laments