WEEK 17: LIVE DIFFERENTLY

Allow me to introduce to you the first #sustainable, off-the-grid, fully powered with #renewable sources of #energy home in Easter Island (Rapa Nui), the most isolated island in the world. As an intro to my weekly newsletter, it may not seem to have anything to do with #filmmaking, but this happens to be the home of one avid amateur #documentary filmmaker who is also my elder brother, Felipe Custer .

Apart from being a really nice guy, a great father and husband (I have extensive research and years of polling to quantify this information), he's continued to marry his passions for sustainability, education and improving the lives of #indigenous communities, such as those on Easter Island, with his newest series of documentaries entitled #Ngapoki #Henua, which is loosely translated as Children's Earth, or the Earth that belongs to the Children, a nice idea and a clear editorial line as well. I will let you discover the first of the short documentary installments here, but also, follow him on #Linkedin here.

Since we can't talk about #environment without talking about #deforestation on #EasterIsland thanks to Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, it's important to know that there are efforts being made to counteract this devastation and using the impact of the audiovisual medium to inspire #change and create value. Furthermore, Felipe's lifestyle begs the question when one has a #goal, artistic or otherwise, not only, what do you want to accomplish?, but also, how do you want to live? And how does your every day life reflect your #values?

Coherency speaks to me, which I observe in Felipe's life just as much as the life of great Shakespearean stage and film #actor #RaulJulia, as evidenced in the PBS documentary The World's a Stage by Ben DeJesus . I had never seen his theater work except for a behind the scenes of him and Meryl Streep in The Taming of the Shrew, but what struck me was how it seemed that every single bone in his body, every cell of his being, every ounce of his energy was present on stage, playing a part but also incarnating it. Few people seem to carry that magnetism, but also few seems as deeply, earth-shatteringly invested with the craft. Ultimately, Raul Julia is the shining modern example of how great #Latino actors in #Shakespeare can be, but also, just any actor, playing any part, comedic or tragic.

I'm glad to report that the "Owning It: Pitch Deck Challenge" that I was selected for by The Gotham Film & Media Institute is already in full swing and have already had wonderful insights by Maria Altamirano , who also said not to take rejection by Sundance Institute Catalyst Forum as any reflection on my artistic merit. That's encouraging! We're still on a hunt for the #producer who may fall so deeply in love with the #SuccessentuLife (hence the polishing of said deck) that we will finish the remaining ? of this film. Crazier things have been done. Now is as good a time as any. So many have led the way, and there is so much left to be done. Off I go to meet with Gotham!

Keep in touch!

Isabel xo