Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Guillermo Iván Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
I have always had the certainty that you can touch someone’s heart through your work and therefore impact the world in a positive way. In that sense, I will share with you a story that’s related to the message of hope and faith that our movie “LADY OF GUADALUPE” sends. When we had our first private movie screening in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to invite a fan: Gustavo, a Mexican-American gentleman who contacted me via social media and was facing stage 4 cancer. He made it to the movie theater on his wheelchair and his best friend who helped him all the way. At the end of the screening during the Q&A I shared his story with the audience and Gustavo, inspired by the movie stood up from his wheelchair to address the audience. He broke into tears and shared his personal story and said that the movie gave him faith and that he was grateful to have watched it that night. Gustavo was brave enough to fight that terminal moment and lived for one more year in Los Angeles. He finally passed away a few months ago, but I stayed in touch with him and he was full of happiness at the end. Moments like this one remind me why I do what I do. There is no doubt that we can touch people’s hearts through our work. Gustavo will always have a place in my heart. His journey is also a reminder for me to never lose faith and hope.
As a part of our series about “Filmmakers Making A Social Impact,” I had the pleasure of interviewing Guillermo Ivan.
Guillermo Ivan is an award-winner Mexican- American actor-filmmaker. He has played the lead in many films and series. He received the Innovation Award at Montreal International Film Festival and the ecumenical award. He was also awarded at Manhattan Film Festival and received Best Actor at Guadalajara Tequila Film Festival and Best Performer at the Diamond awards in Atlanta in 2020. In 2020 he also got a nomination for an Oscar Signature Award at Dubai World Film Festival.
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?
I was born in the heart of an artistic family. My mom is a musician/writer and my father is an artist, so it was impossible to escape from that special love for art, even when I tried to become an athlete in my youth. It was like destiny bringing me back to it. I started making films and television shows when I was 6 years old in Mexico, where I was born. But when I turned 14 years old, I got a scholarship in Havana, Cuba. So that put me on a journey with no turning back. After graduating as an actor and Filmmaker in Cuba I got another scholarship but this time in NYC at HB Studio for a full-time acting program. From that moment on, my entire life has been all about making movies, series, theater, and many other creative endeavors. It has already given me wonderful satisfactions; from working with people I truly admire and respect to receiving awards in different places around the world such as the Innovation Award at Montreal Film Festival, or Best performer at the Diamond Awards 2020 in Atlanta, or a nomination for a World Oscar Signature Award in Dubai World Film Festival 2020. It’s been and continues to be a wonderful learning process.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
I have many stories to share, but I will opt to tell you one that’s related to LADY OF GUADALUPE. As you know, the role of Juan Diego demanded a physical transformation and a very particular outfit. Our first fitting session took place in a very nice resort in New Mexico, and the first time I got into character dressed as a Mexican Native from 1500, the DP and Production Designer had this idea of taking me to the gardens of the hotel to take some pictures. I wish I could describe the faces of all the fancy guests that looked at me walking on my JUAN DIEGO outfit and wig throughout the hallways. They were the funniest reactions ever. They didn’t understand if I was an alien or a crazy lunatic that broke into the facility. There are some pictures of that day. 😂
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
Definitely working with people such as: Kevin Kline (Trade), Forest Whitaker (Vantage Point), Rita Romero and Maggie Gyllenhaal (La Casa de los Baby’s), Michael Madsen and Paul Sorvino (Welcome to Acapulco). Having the opportunity to work with them in all those projects and learning from them was absolutely incredible. But if I have to share a story that was meaningful, I should mention the day I met Robin Williams. When I was 6 years old I watched “Awakenings” with Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, I was so impressed with their performances that at the end of the movie I turned to my parents and I told them “I want to do that”. For years, I kept a picture of one of their scenes together framed in my apartment in NYC. Many years later I was invited by a producer in NY to see The Lion on Broadway and at the end Robin invited us to his dressing room. Coincidently, that day De Niro was also there to say hello, and I couldn’t believe that I had both of them in front of me.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am finishing another amazing movie “Rumba Love” or “The Last Rumba” that will also be released pretty soon. And I’m prepping for two more movies; “The Bash” (comedy) and “Clandestino” a new cool action movie also written and directed by Pedro Brenner. I’m also in the development of “The Flowers”’s second season (a comedy series currently on Amazon Prime).
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
Many to be mentioned, but I will say Nelson Mandela for his compassion and resilience. He was a man who visualized a more equal world and fought with compassion to make it happen. Juan Diego, as a matter of fact, was also someone who unified cultures and people trough peace and not through violence. Having the opportunity to play this important figure in Lady of Guadalupe was a dream come true. Mohamed Ali, because he thought me that imposible is nothing even when you have everything against you, and Maya Angelou who taught me ¨we are more alike than unalike”.
Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?
I think that we are living in unprecedented times when we are all finally coming to the realization of equality as a need for a better society. There is still a lot to be done, but as a Latino representing millions of people who have a dream for a better life, I would never give up on my commitment for a better world, a place where the color of your skin, your gender or your background do not represent a barrier to your dreams and your future. A place where we all have the same value because we are all humans with equal opportunities and equal rights.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?
The “Aha moment” was the moment I hit rock bottom and I understood that I was responsible for my dream and for my life; that everything happened for me and not to me; that every failure along the way was actually a step forward on my learning process; and that even when the inception, the genesis of your present and your future resides on you, inside of you; you have to DO IT. You have to take actions everyday, and you have to take full responsibility for it. The execution of your dream depends on you and nobody else.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I have always had the certainty that you can touch someone’s heart through your work and therefore impact the world in a positive way. In that sense, I will share with you a story that’s related to the message of hope and faith that our movie “LADY OF GUADALUPE” sends. When we had our first private movie screening in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to invite a fan: Gustavo, a Mexican-American gentleman who contacted me via social media and was facing stage 4 cancer. He made it to the movie theater on his wheelchair and his best friend who helped him all the way. At the end of the screening during the Q&A I shared his story with the audience and Gustavo, inspired by the movie stood up from his wheelchair to address the audience. He broke into tears and shared his personal story and said that the movie gave him faith and that he was grateful to have watched it that night. Gustavo was brave enough to fight that terminal moment and lived for one more year in Los Angeles. He finally passed away few months ago, but I stayed in touch with him and he was full of happiness at the end. Moments like this one remind me why I do what I do. There is no doubt that we can touch people’s hearts through our work. Gustavo will always have a place in my heart. His journey is also a reminder for me to never lose faith and hope.
Are there three things that individuals, society or the government can do to support you in this effort?
The first one that we all can do as individuals would be to practice compassion everyday. The second one that we can do as a society would be to promote equality and end discrimination based on race, religion or sexual preferences. And the third one as a government would be to successfully ensure the compliance of those fundamental rights.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1- Failure is part of the game: it’s only one step forward in your learning process. As an actor you face rejection or “failure” many times, when you don’t nail down an audition or you don’t get the part that you really want, you can mistakenly take those situations as failures. They are not, they are part of a training process that will shape your craft.
2-The importance is in the process, not the final outcome. The final outcome is just the result of the process and if you maintain your focus and joy on the process the outcome comes effortlessly.
3- Never pretend to be something or someone, just BE. The real value resides in how genuine you are as a person. Same principle in acting. You don’t have to pretend, you just have TO BE here and now.
4- Never push, just let it happen. In every aspect of life, just as in acting; when you push for an emotional result on a scene, it never goes well and all you get is an over-the-top result. In life it’s the same; we just have to prepare for those processes and let them happen when you are prepared for them.
5-Have fun all the time. Even under the worst circumstances.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Because it’s your responsibility. It’s the responsibility of every new generation to impact the world in a positive way to keep living on it.
We are very blessed that many other Social Impact Heroes read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would like to collaborate with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
I would love to keep making movies and series that can impact humanity in a positive way. That’s my mission in life and nothing makes me more excited than connecting with creators, filmmakers, artists, entrepreneurs that share the same vision of the world I have.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“BE LIKE WATER” adapting your way through cracks. Adjust to the object. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. That quote from Bruce lee taught me how to evolve constantly and how to understand plasticity in every sense.
How can our readers follow you online?
@guillermoivan2021 on Instagram
@guillerivan on twitter and Tiktok
Guillermo Ivan on Facebook
This was great, thank you so much for sharing your story and doing this with us. We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
