Screening preview: Near the Mountain

 This is part of a series of posts from the filmmakers previewing the different films that will be screened at Portsmouth Short Film Night.

Flynn Donovan’s “Near the Mountain” is a beautiful, fascinating documentary short set in the exotic locale of a Peruvian quarry. Flynn shared the following:

This is a  poetic look into the life of an old Peruvian quarry worker and his contribution to a beautiful colonial city. While on a visit to Arequipa, Peru with my wife I decided one day to take a taxi and visit the very famous quarries in the region. It was at that time while taking pictures that I met old Honorato the quarry worker and his son Claudio.  That evening back at the hotel checking over the days photography, particularly the ones taken at the quarry I was deeply touched by this old man and his difficult life.  The following day I returned to the quarry to ask Honorato if he would mind if I made a film about him.

A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT ME

I started working in film as a film editor.  This was back at a time when there weren’t cell phones or Final Cut Pro.  In 1972 I was introduced to a freelance film director who worked almost exclusively in South America.  He was keen on giving me a trial period, partially because I was raised in Ecuador and was fluent in Spanish and was very familiar with the culture.  Many times I wanted to quit because the life of a freelance documentary cinematographer was extremely rigorous, particularly with this man who had done so much and was extremely well-known in European circles.  He liked my work and over a 30 year span we made many fine films together.

Come to Portsmouth Short Film Night on Sunday, February 24 at 7:30pm in 3S Artspace’s Store Gallery in Portsmouth, NH to see this and the other great short films being screened!