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READ MORE ABOUT THE FILM BELOW
Hello, my name is Erica Valdez, but I am professionally known as E.N. Cole. I am the writer and director of the short film titled "Wherever That May Be." We recently won Best New Mexico Film at the 10th annual Las Cruces International Film Festival! We are currently submitting to festivals, and we are also on a tour with Femme Frontera. This short is a story about feeling lost in life under the context of chronic pain, chronic illness, and disability. I am a chronically ill and dynamically disabled artist. As you can imagine, this story is very personal to me, but I feel this is a story that many can relate to whether they are able-bodied or not. Feeling lost in this life is a human experience that we all can share in some facet or another. I wanted to tell this story to help spread hope in this world. This is a story of hope, family and resilience.
[Image Description: E.N. who has brown hair with a streak of blonde on one side, is sporting curly, shoulder length hair and is wearing an brown-colored sweater and smiling at the camera.]
Production took place in Las Cruces, NM, where we have already completed the postproduction of our film.
I am so happy to share more of this story and behind-the-scenes with you. Please stay tuned.
I would also like to thank Femme Frontera for the opportunity to share this story with the public at Pitch Fest 2023. It was there that I was able to connect with so many talented local filmmakers. One of whom was Ross Marks, the director of the Las Cruces International Film Festival. His support has been a great help in our efforts to bring this story to life. We are happy to have him as Executive Producer of this short film.
ABOUT THE STORY
In this drama, we follow the journey of Rose, a young woman whose life is turned upside down when her health takes a turn. She loses everything or so it seems. She loses her dream job as a dance instructor, her partner leaves her, and she moves back in with her outgoing, fun-loving grandmother named Jo. Rose had nowhere to turn so she went back to the place where she always felt safe as a kid and that's with her grandmother. The story is a role-swap of what society typically expects a woman their respective ages. Jo is living her life on her own terms; having fun, while Rose is now a homebody and feels lost in life. With the help of her grandmother and her best friend, Kimberly, Rose comes to find that there's more to life than what is right in front of her. Jo and Rose’s dynamic challenges a stereotype of what it means to be healthy. This is loosely inspired by my life. It is a love letter to the chronic illness, chronic pain, and disability communities that welcomed me with open arms when I felt lost when I got sick. They helped me when physicians didn’t quite know what to do yet. I think it's important to share our stories with each other, no matter our backgrounds. It helps us see the humanity in each other and I think that's very important.
CAST
Jessica N. Jimenez as Rose
[Image Description: Jessica N. Jimenez, who has short brown hair, is resting her right hand against her head. She is intently looking at the camera and wearing a burgundy coat with black collar.]
Jessica N. Jimenez is a New Mexico State University graduate who obtained a BA in Theatre Arts with a focus on Acting. While she attended, she received several Irene Ryan nominations for The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, as well as Best Lead in the production of River Bride. Jessica’s first film, Good Night was accepted into the short film corner at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. With the same director, they won Best New Mexico Film and Best Cinematography at the Las Cruces International Film Festival for their film Arkansas, etc. Jessica has had the absolute privilege of being in and apart of several award-winning films such as Bad JuJu, Insecurity, Saving Faith, Grace, That Tingling Sensation, Shipping Them, and With You. Jessica can be seen this Christmas in her second full length feature called Santa’s Cousin! Most recently she was honored to also be a part of Wherever That May Be and Brewmance. From performing on stage to acting in film, Jessica has had the pleasure of being a part of both worlds and she is so grateful she gets to perform and show the different audiences a beautiful act of love. She is very appreciative for each opportunity that comes her way and is comforted by everyone’s love and support as she follows her dreams.
Juneice Robinson as Kimberly
[Image Description: Juneice Robinson is caught mid laugh and smiling to the camera. She has wavy reddish hair and blue lagoon eyes. She’s wearing a psychedelic orange blouse with mismatched earrings.]
Juneice Robinson is an actor with a BFA in Theatre Arts from NMSU. This past Fall, she took part in Teatro Neplanta’s 24 Hour Play Festival in El Paso. While being known for her work as a Costume Designer, primarily for film and local projects in New Mexico, Juneice is taking a step in front of the camera. She wants to thank the cast and crew for their brilliant effort in telling this salient story. She would also like to thank her friends, family, her loving boyfriend and her little dog too! For their love, support and blind compliance to her career adventures.
Introducing Norma Garcia Ruiz as Jo
[Image Description: Norma is wearing a sheer black bolero with sparkles. A full face of glam, with smokey eyes and red lipstick. She has short curly and salt and pepper hair, with brown eyes.]
“Norma Garcia Ruiz was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico. She grew up in a small town-Silver City, where mining copper was the main source of employment. She also helped in pioneering Hatch chilé, by helping her grandmother harvest, manufacture, and sell her chilé, in Hatch, NM. Norma received an Associate Degree in Science, from WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY, in Silver City, NM. She worked as a rehabilitation therapist, for 20 years. Her career was cut short, as she developed back problems and was deemed disabled and was forced to retire. Norma lives in Las Cruces with her daughter. Norma is also a musician. She has been a vocalist for 40+ years. She has performed for Las Cruces venues, such as, “Music in the Park”, as well as local nightclubs and private parties. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and playing pickleball in her free time. She is grateful for the opportunities presented to her, throughout her life. She is thankful for all the support, from family, friends, and the community.”
WHY THIS STORY MATTERS
This story matters because it is even more relevant today than when I first began the process of writing. This story was a way for me to process many types of grief. I think the message is one that we need more of in this world. While the chronically ill and disabled communities may sound like minorities and the problems niche problems, this story affects all of us. It is just a matter of when. I hope this story starts conversations about accessibility, equity, representation, and opportunity. Telling our stories is how we start to change things for the better. It is how we connect and find more of ourselves in each other. Representation matters. This story matters because I matter. YOU matter.
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Check us out in Cruces Culture Magazine! (March 2024 issue.)
Watch E.N. Cole's interview with Joshua Jacob:
We will see you at the movies!