¡Suerte! The journey of coming home
One morning in July I received the invite: “I hope you can join us”
I saved the date on my calendar and when the day finally arrived, I set to drive from San Diego to Los Angeles. I only knew this film was shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max and the promise was a heartfelt journey back to cultural roots. ¡Que emoción!
Besides the usual traffic, Los Angeles welcomed me with its vibrant energy, rich culture, and the energy of a city so alive with stories waiting to be told.
The venue was adorned with ceiling-high walls and new lotería characters, creating an atmosphere of familiarity and suspense. I was immediately transported to another time and place, a world where tradition and modernity dance seamlessly together.
The music echoed the sounds of my childhood, a little piece of me remembered my cousin’s quinceañera with the cumbias playing in the background. The cultural symbolism made everyone feel part of something special, something deeply rooted in our shared heritage. In this space we didn’t need to try to fit in, we already belonged.
The story began with a Mexican American musician on the quest for inspiration. The narrative felt close to home because as a creative myself, I know all too well the struggle to facing a creative block. Each of the characters the musician encountered, played a crucial role in helping him overcome his obstacles. I thought, who are these characters in the story of my life?
Photo credit: Enrique Leyva
You have to watch the film in order for you to conclude who represents who in your story.
The creative genius of Cliqua (Pasqual Gutiérrez and RJ Sánchez) captured not only the story of a first generation American experience. Their use of the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s advanced features, such as Cinematic Mode, 5x optical zoom, and low-light recording capabilities, brought a unique blend of traditional cinematography and modern digital tools to life.
My conversation with Camilo Lara, the score composer of the film, shared how important sound is for a film, and more importantly how much music translates to emotions. And I remembered my walk into the venue, the sound of the cumbias, and how music truly took my inner niña for a ride. Camilo made sure in ¡Suerte! we felt the emotions of the Músico while staying true to the sounds of the trompetas and the guitar from Mexico. Which, fun fact, he also recorded the sounds on iPhone 15!
Well, we really have no excuse for not creating content now huh?
Watching ¡Suerte! left me with more than seeing a film, it inspired me to continue searching for answers within my own heritage and community. I can’t wait to keep learning and utilizing technological innovation combined with the art of storytelling so I can too take part on bringing our stories to life.
