Alexander Lasheras and Nicolas Ayerbe – CADENCE filmmakers
Alex Lasheras‘ and Nicolas Ayerbe’s debut feature is a unique psychological thriller dealing with notions of self-identity. When the eponymous Cadence (Maxine Chadburn, excellent in a demanding role) begins to experience hallucinations during a romantic getaway with her pop-star boyfriend (Charlie Kerr), fear and confusion test her ability to distinguish reality from the nightmare unfolding before her. Cadence is a thoroughly entertaining rumination on memory, trauma, and the psyche’s efforts to protect itself.
https://vimeo.com/101342166
Bios:
Alexander Lasheras and Nicolas Ayerbe are both graduates from UBC’s Theatre and Film program where they met in 2009. Alex, born and raised in the Fraser Valley, B.C. and Nicolas, an international student from Bogota, Colombia, have a similar passion for filmmaking and a liking for intricate and compelling movies. During their time at UBC, each worked in several film projects that made their way to different festivals like Toronto International Film Festival, San Francisco, and Montreal. Alexander’s Lingo, a short he shot during his last year of film school, was included in Canada’s best shorts of 2012, while Nicolas received the Freda Springate Graduating Prize for Excellence in Film.
Realizing a common ground and desire to make smart genre pictures they collaborated on a goal of making their first feature film as a director and producer respectively. From this, Cadence was born. Having made a short version of the film, the team went on to partially crowdfund the movie and crew it entirely out of the network of friends they had acquired at film school.
Cadence is Alex’s debut feature, produced by Nicolas, a story that deals with memory, trauma, and the power of imagination. The film received the support of the National Film Board’s Filmmakers Assistance Program and will now premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival on October 3rd at 9pm at the historic RIO theatre on Commercial Drive.
UBC Alumni:
Cast:
AMANDA BURKE as Ariel Fisk (Cadence’s Mom)
DAVID KAYE as KC
Crew:
MICHAEL YEUNG – Executive producer
STIRLING BANCROFT, CSC – Director of Photography –
PETER PLANTA- Cinematographer
OLIVER MILLAR – Cinematographer
AMARTEI ARMAR – Assistant
MARIO FASCE – Producer of Marketing and Distribution
Production:
LEE PATOLA – Production Design
YASSMINA KARAJAH – Assistant Art
CHARLIE LABELLE – Assistant Camera
DINA ATTALLA – Assistant Camera
JAMES GILL – Assistant Camera
CAITY BROWN – Assistant Camera
ALARICH ALVAREZ – VFX Compositor
SOO MIN PARK – Photography
GILBERTO PEREZ -Photography
ANNA MACDONALD – Gaffer
COLLIN MORRISON – Gaffer
TERRANCE AZZUOLO – Key Grip
DREW POLLINS – Electrician
ANDY HAWKES – Electrician
STEVEN HU – Electrician
CONOR PRESTON – Catering
Thoughts on their time at UBC:
“It’s funny because during our time at UBC we didn’t work as a team…”, says writer, director Alexander Lasheras about his classmate Nicolas Ayerbe.
“When you are in the film program, it is such a small network that you’re bound to support each other”, adds Nicolas. Alexander and Nicolas reminisce about their time at UBC as a period of comradery, experimentation, and creative discourse. “There was a lot of movie watching, going to class to discuss movies, then arguing about movies while making a movie.” Nicolas jokes. “Obsession with movie making is not for everyone,” says Lasheras. “Once I found my niche was filmmaking, UBC felt a lot more like home.”
The program is set up so that students collaborate in the making of each other’s shorts, with theory and practical on-set experience. “It’s a great way to force you out of your shell. Most people have never done serious filmmaking. When you have a role on a friend’s production it is the greatest thrill.”
Nicolas says the process feels like it has come full circle. “You bond with your crew making shorts, a year later the same classmates work professionally, they donate to your movie, they work on your first feature, andthree years later it has its premiere at VIFF”, says Nicolas about the journey of Cadence.
“Sounds almost storybook, but there’s no doubt this is the continuation of what we did at the film program.”
