Fernando Martín Borlán: Right spot at the right moment19.02.2020

We speak to the director of Iceberg Nations, which will be screened at 2nd edition of Papaya Rocks Film Festival taking place on February 27th in London.

What does it mean for you to have your film screened at the festival?

Fernando Martín Borlán: I'm very grateful for this opportunity!

Do you think nerves will set in closer to your screening?

To be honest, not really. I can't do much now so I prefer to enjoy it rather than be nervous (laughs).

Tell me a little bit about your work. How did this film come about?

I usually work for Rubén Martín de Lucas, a contemporary artist, and when we were working on his art project, I felt that I should create a short film that could bring contemporary art to everyone.

What was the inspiration behind your screenplay?

Obviously Rubén's work and contemporary art in general. It uses another language that is different from the cinematic one and I believe I found my own right in the middle of both.

What was the hardest scene for you to film?

The iceberg shattering. I call it “destiny”. The short film needed a shot with an iceberg collapsing, so the whole parallel of a nation would make sense. We were in the right spot at the right moment, but it was destiny.

What were the biggest challenges you faced making this film?

Almost everything in this project was a challenge and I loved it!

Have you always wanted to be a filmmaker?

I'm a storyteller, I believe that every story has its own way of being told. I've learnt to use a camera and that allows me to tell stories as a filmmaker, but I’d say I always wanted to tell them, no matter the format.

As a filmmaker, how important is the collaborative process for you? 

Fundamental. It's always so much better to do things with other people. When you do things in a collaborative way, the ego disappears, you don't need to be a genius sending an important message. Suddenly, you’re creating things with friends and that makes it so much better.

Do you have any advice or tips for a fellow filmmaker?

Create what you want to see, not what others want.

What are you currently working on?

I'm working on a photography project and a new short film, 2020 comes strong!

What do you hope people will take away from your film?  

Questions, a lot of questions. I tried not to give answers about what nations are and what we should do for them, but I would really like for the people to ask themselves about the whole concept of a nation and what it really means.