KU film student premieres short at Honduran festival


Hispano Durón, an international PhD student in Film and Media Studies, recently screened his new short film “El Lugar de la Cruz” at the II El Heraldo Short Film Festival in Honduras.

For more than a decade, Duron has been an active filmmaker and film teacher in Honduras, his home country, and now in the United States. In recognition of his career as an artist and scholar, Durón was honored as an invited guest speaker during the festival. As a guest speaker, Durón highlighted the importance of short films in the development of a film culture in a third world economy as that of Honduras. In addition, he discussed the importance of short film in the history of film in his native country - the first Honduran film was a short. 

Durón’s new film is based on a Honduran story about a cursed tree in the town of San Sebastián. According to legend, anyone who approached the tree would first inexplicably fall asleep near the tree and then begin to act strangely. Durón filmed on location to preserve and promote local tradition. For the most part, the actors were from the area.

Having long been active in the Honduran film industry, Durón recently broke into the U.S. film scene – on screen. He and his daughter made cameo appearances in KU associate professor Kevin Willmott’s new film, Destination Planet Negro.

Durón’s other works include a full-length film, "Anita," "La Cazadora de Insectos" and "Memo’s Dream," the latter having won the 2013 Tensie Award for Best Screenplay and Best in Show from KU’s Film and Media Studies department. This latest work, “El Lugar de la Cruz,” was completed in June. The short film was produced in collaboration with Oldfather Studios. Durón has also won research support from KU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, including the 2012 Stansifer fellowship.

Thu, 10/31/2013

author

Peter C. Haney

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Erinn Barcomb-Peterson

KU News Service

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