Imperial Valley native to screen film at an international film festival
SAN DIEGO (KYMA, KECY) - A Cinematographer Director from El Centro is getting ready to see his work at an international film festival in Oceanside.
“My brother picked up a camera from Holtville High School, the AV department, and brought it home and I held the camera while my brother and my cousins acted and ever since then it has been an addiction that I can’t quit," stated Justin Burquist.
And just like that, the El Centro native started dreaming big.
The El Centro native, Justin Burquist, is the Director of Photography on a new feature-length film called Hemet, or The Landlady Don't Drink Tea.
The film will be screened at the Oceanside International Film Festival (OIFF) this month.
“I am really excited. This is the first time I've been a cinematographer on a feature film so it was a learning experience for me," expressed Burquist.
Burquist explained a little bit about what the film is.
“The film is about a landlady in a dystopian future that's kind of a maniac, a dictator and she kind of terrorizes her tenants and something happens, and the tenants kind of start to revolt," explained Burquist.
Although it took about two months to complete the film, there were some challenges.
“There were a lot of days where I was the only G and E lighting person. I would run to the camera, look at the image, run, move a light, run, back to the camera. So it was just the amount of people we had on set and a lot of times was a low number," stated Burquist.
This isn’t the first time Burquist's work has been screened at the OIFF. In 2013, he took best picture for his film Broken Knuckles.
He said he will continue to do what he loves and also sends a message to those who have a dream in the Valley.
"You’re only limited by your imagination in a lot of ways you know. Get minded people together with you. I think that is a big thing having people around you who are also hungry and want to do something," expressed Burquist.
The film will be shown on Saturday, February 24 at OIFF.
For more information on how to get tickets to see the film at the Oceanside International Film Festival, go to osidefilm.org.
