Synopsis
Armando* is from Venezuela. In Australia he is safe. He has a job and the prospect of living a secure and tranquil life. So why can’t he sleep at night? Part documentary, part verbatim, ‘El Boleto’ is a story about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), displacement and impossible choices.
*Not his real name
Our Review
What does Armando do with the ticket??Oh! One would definitely wish Daniel Prypchan and Manuel R Mota to have given a climax with it. Migration is one of the most important issue and sometimes a controversial one of all time. Films are a great way to dive deeper into these sensitive space and engage people in open dialogue. Forced immigration or immigration due to limited choice in home country is a real problem, because that decision is not a preferred choice but a forced one and it tears families apart across oceans. El Boleto is a great film that portrays the mental state of an immigrant or a refuge, how they leave home because of war, how they leave home because of dreams, how they leave home with hope of returning one day. They are desperate and they are humans.
Director Biography - Daniel Prypchan, Manuel R Mota The founder of Australian production company Human Productions, Daniel Prypchan is a directing graduate of the Sydney Film School, a recipient of the NSW Government Multi-Platform Screen Producer Scholarship - and a highly experienced Production Accountant (CPA) with years of experience on feature films, documentaries, television series and independent TV channels. Daniel has produced over 20 films, making his directing debut with the self-penned, highly acclaimed short, 'Analysis.' Awards for short film include: 2012 Best Short Short (Harlem International Film Festival, US), 2012 Best International Short Film (Screen Stockport Film Festival, UK), 2013 Digital Film Award (San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, US) and more. Of Ukrainian, Spanish and Venezuelan descent, Daniel is also a gifted and bilingual singer working across multiple music genres. He has featured in 15 self-produced, award-winning music videos - often stepping into the director's role - filmed across the globe in Sydney, Los Angeles, Venezuela, Mexico, the Philippines, Venice and Zaragoza, Spain. Awards include: 2020 Best Solo Artist Award (California Music Video & Film Awards, USA), 2020 Best Music Video (Asian Cinematography Awards, Philippines), 2018 Best Music Video (Mexico International Film Festival, Mexico), 2018 Best Music Video (Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards, USA), 2017 Best Español Music Video (Hollywood Hills Awards, USA) - and many more. Professionally trained in opera (under Steve Ostrow, renowned for discovering and training Bette Midler, Peter Allan and Barry Manilow) and samba dancing, Daniel's versatility has taken him from classical to Latin pop to reggaeton - winning him fans in both English and Spanish speaking markets. His first album, 'El Amor,' was "pure feeling in all its guises, from the delights of romance and attraction to the anguishes of love and separation, from unbridled joy to the yearning for spiritual connection and release. A broad collection of romantic ballads, Spanish classics and contemporary pop songs held together by dynamic, lush arrangements and a remarkable voice that speaks directly to the heart and soul of the listener." His next album, exploring the Urban genre, is due for release in 2021. In addition to music, Daniel is a trained actor. He graduated from the Screenwise School of Acting, under Denise Roberts, and has studied privately with Lynette Sheldon and Annie Swan. Roles include the lead in CA-CHI-PUN (Prize Winner Tropfest, the World's Largest Short Film Festival) and principal parts in 'Dead Man Walking The Opera' (Andrew McManus Presents), 'RENT The Musical' and 'Sweeney Todd' in Sydney, Australia. Other experience includes writing and performing a number of sold out cabaret shows, dancing in the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, featuring on ABC television's "Mondo Thingo" (Bollywood dancing), producing the entertainment segment for the Soka Gakkai International Peace Conference in Sydney and performing regularly on 5-star Pacific cruise ships.
Director Statement ‘El Boleto’ [2021] - Director’s Statement: Daniel Prypchan When I started work on ‘El Boleto’ I thought the Venezuelan crisis would have improved by the time we were done. The film would be an insight into migration, but its specific context would be less intense - and less in the news. Today we continue to watch Venezuela sink deeper into totalitarian chaos. Just when you think the situation can’t get any more desperate - it does. Covid-19 has obviously taken its toll, but like so many things in a ‘failed state’ it’s impossible to quantify. It’s difficult to imagine life in a country where the political, economic and social structures have all broken down. Even I struggle to imagine what daily life is like right now. I’m one of the lucky ones. I left Venezuela at 19 to study in Australia and I made Sydney my home. For the most part, I’ve watched the decline from a distance. Raul has had a closer view. Unlike Armando - the ‘character’ he plays in ‘El Boleto’ - Raul was only temporarily in Australia and has since returned to Venezuela. We had endless discussions. How do you express something as varied as the migrant experience? We decided that rather than document Raul’s life per se, we would present a ‘blend’ of experiences, our own and the stories of others. Many others. The UN Refugee Agency estimates there are 5.4 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela worldwide. The figure is approximate. How many have been lost? For us on the outside, the best we can do is martial our skills and resources to shed a little light on the human scale of this geopolitical catastrophe. Venezuela’s story has - tragically - become one of migration, forced migration and trauma. The trauma of immigrants, especially refugees, is often vilified, portrayed as chaotic and dangerous, a liability - a reason to keep them out. In reality, most displaced people experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) suffer in silence. I want to make them heard. I want people in the developed world to understand the daily implications of PTSD and the heartbreak of forced migration. To feel compassion. If we, people of the richest, most advanced nations in the world, cannot feel compassion for others - who will? - ‘El Boleto’ [2021] - Director’s Statement: Manuel R. Mota
Credits
Daniel Prypchan Director
Manuel R Mota Director
Daniel Prypchan Producer
Raul Simao Key Cast "'Armando'"
Daniel Prypchan Key Cast "Interviewer"
Alexander Binder DOP
Alexander Binder Sound
Stuart Rivas Edit, Colour Grade, Special FX
Specifications
Project Type: Documentary, Short
Runtime: 6 minutes 51 seconds
Completion Date: March 25, 2021
Production Budget: 20,000 USD
Country of Origin: Australia
Country of Filming: Australia
Language: Spanish
Shooting Format: Digital, RED
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Film Color: Color
First-time Filmmaker: No
Student Project: No
