Synopsis: Penny has her share of demons, and she’s about to take on one more. Despite her inability to play, Penny has big dreams of becoming the world’s greatest axe player. After stealing one from an antique shop, she decides to break it in at the local punk bar she frequents. Things don't go very well, and Penny ends up face down in the alley after being thrown out by the owner. A dark presence approaches her with a proposition: Penny gives up three souls, and all her dreams come true

Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez

Bio:

RODRIGO MORENO-FERNANDEZ (Writer, Director, Producer, Editor) is based in South Texas. After immigrating from Mexico in 2006, the self-taught filmmaker made his directorial debut with the indie feature The Whole. He received the ‘First Time Director Award.’ from the London Independent Film Awards and the ‘Best Screenplay Award’ from the Reel East Texas Film Festival. His short film Ramona: This Too Shall Pass also received awards and accolades. Rodrigo spent seven years as an illegal immigrant until he managed to secure deferred status during the Obama administration, allowing him to stay in Texas and work. Married with a three-year-old child with no papers or money, Rodrigo could not attend film school. He taught himself to film and tell stories by reading everything he could get his hands on and by listening to other filmmakers discuss their processes. Despite his struggles, he saved enough money to buy a second-hand camera, and he started making videos; for himself and later for those that might hire him for commercial work. Through this, he learned (by trial and error) how to light, shoot, and block actors, and he also learned to write scripts. Eventually, his commercial work began winning awards. One day he asked his wife permission to use their life savings to make a movie. She said yes, and from then on, became his producer. Together they managed to produce one feature film and two short narratives. Rodrigo’s work has been programmed into festivals around the world. He recalls not having a work permit for his first invitation to a festival and could not confirm his attendance as a director because of it. Today, he is proud to hold 14 awards for his work and, more importantly, to call himself a filmmaker.

Statement:

In essence, this story is based on Goethe's "The Tragedy of Faust," which has been in literature and folklore for hundreds of years and has inspired many books and short stories. Many storytellers created a world called "Magic Realism," particularly in Mexico and South America." Movies like Roberto Gavaldón's "Macario" - Ismael Rodriguez' "The Paper Man (1963)" and Emilio "El Indio" Fernández' "La Perla," have been my inspiration and are part of Mexico's basic basket of stories. The ol' "At the end, the Devil is gonna get you" story fascinated me since I was a child. So, I tried to bring this type of Mexican story to the US and converted it to Rock/Punk, so it would be an easier pill to swallow. The dialogs between the "Voice" and Penny are inspired by Juan Rulfo's "Pedro Paramo," in which the words go back and forth between characters like waves. You will never make sense when you talk with spirits, and everything is always crystal clear at the end.