“Me También” By Valeria Vallejos Releases on International Women’s Day – 3/8/2020
(Los Angeles, CA) – March 2nd, 2020. Me También, an empowering short film by Latina writer, director, and actress Valeria Vallejos, is releasing online on March 8th for International Women’s Day after a year-long tour in the film festival circuit.
“We are so pleased that ‘Me También’, Jury Award winner for Best Short at the Bentonville Film Festival in 2019, is releasing online worldwide on International Women’s Day. This film truly embodies the harsh realities of sexual harassment while championing female empowerment in the workplace. We want to congratulate Director, Valeria Vallejos, for helping bring these impactful stories to light on screen,” said Academy Award winner Geena Davis, founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
The 17-minute social drama features a diverse cast and follows the journey of two women, from different walks of life, dealing with their own personal anguish of harassment in the workplace.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/-NuYR24vZ58
When actress Valeria Vallejos wrote the short story of Me También, she had no idea that the subject matter of her script would become the REASON she would end up directing the film herself.
“When I originally wrote ‘Me También’, I had no intention of directing it, only acting in it. I initially approached a male director and producer I had collaborated with in the past, who were eager to take it on. But as time passed, they wanted to make changes to the script, altering the intended tone and voice,” recalls Valeria Vallejos. “When I objected, they went as far as to try and literally push me out of having any involvement with the film aside from acting on set. This is when I knew that if the film I’d envisioned was going to be made, I had to direct it myself,” she adds.
TAG LINE
Every woman has a story, this is ours.
LOG LINE
Two women in polar opposite spheres of society are brought together by one unfortunate common denominator, sexual harassment but when everything seems lost, destiny will have the last word.
Me También is set against the backdrop of Los Angeles, the city where Vallejos resides. The story illuminates the similar plight of women from strikingly different worlds. Cristina is an undocumented Mexican immigrant running from her past trying to live out her version of the “American Dream” as a nanny to a wealthy family. Monica is a rising executive in a marketing firm whose earned everything she has in life. Both their lives are derailed by the same hardship, but will their fates rally?
Written/Directed by and Starring Valeria Vallejos as Cristina, Me También showcases the talents of Kathryn Romine as Monica and Regen Wilson as Mr. Reynolds. Producer and Editor: Brett M. Reed. Producer: Jacquelyn Carr. Cinematographer: Jorel O’Dell. Composer: Nuno Malo.
Valeria Vallejos is an award-winning writer/ director/actress of Indigenous and Spanish descent, born and raised in Patagonia, Argentina. She left Patagonia for Paris, France at the age of seventeen to pursue her career in the arts. After a brief study in Paris, Valeria went on to travel the world extensively continuing her education in the arts, mastering three languages and collecting an MBA along the way. She wrote, directed and starred in her multi-award winning short film Me También.
Valeria recently starred in the upcoming indie comedy Domino: Battle of the Bones alongside David Arquette, just completed her first feature film screenplay It Was Written, and is currently developing a pilot for a limited series called Lady J.
Q&A WITH VALERIA VALLEJOS Provided by Publicist
Where did the idea of “Me También” come from?
Valeria Vallejos: The idea of making “Me También” came from overcoming years of harassment, oppression, and abuse, in different times of my life, and the personal necessity of hope, for me and every woman in this world. That’s why the cast of my film is so diverse; this topic transcends racial and socioeconomic lines. And this is also the reason I wanted it to be my first project, to speak my truth, as Oprah said; “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.”
Why is telling this story so important to you, and why are you the best person to tell it?
Valeria Vallejos: I’m the best person to tell the story of “Me También” simply because I want to change the world, and I believe I can, in my own way. The best stories come from a place of pain. Although none of the experiences depicted in the film describe exactly my own, having been in similar situations in my life helped me create moments that every woman can relate to.
I am a female advocate; for me empowering women and minorities is simply vital. The world will be a better place when women fully have the same rights and opportunities as men, no more, no less, the same. How powerful it would be to develop ourselves without having to endure any kind of harassment or abuse.
What was the most challenging or unusual part about making this film? And why did you decide to be both in front and behind the camera?
Valeria Vallejos: That’s an interesting question. The most challenging and unusual part of making this film is really the REASON I ended up behind the camera. When I originally wrote “Me También”, I had no intention of directing it, only acting in it. I initially approached a male director and producer I had collaborated with in the past, who were eager to take it on. But as time passed, they wanted to make changes to the script, altering the intended tone and voice. When I objected, they went as far as to try and literally push me out of having any involvement with the film aside from acting on set. This is when I knew that if the film I’d envisioned was going to be made, I had to direct it myself.
To find out more about Me También, visit:
Instagram: @MeTambienFilm, @ValeriaVallejosInLA