 | OSVALDO'S
| Queens Premiere |
| Cast: | Lemon Andersen, Jeff Lima, Gina Rodriguez, Maria Acosta, Dominic Colon | | Crew: | Producers: Kia Neal - Screenwriters: Randy Wilkins - Cinematographer: Christina Voros - Editor: Ryan Denmark - Composer: Jonathan Altman -
| | Email: | randy.l.wilkins gmail.com |
synopsis
Jerry Dominguez, a 15 year old who has recently lost his mother, is at the family owned barbershop discussing the final details of a special dinner with his father. While shopping for the items on the night's menu, Jerry casually asks his 8 year old sister, Glenda, what she thinks of the beautiful red-haired hairdresser at daddy's shop. His question is met with indifference. Later on, when Jerry asks his sister to set four places at the table instead of three, Glenda's indifference turns to curiosity. All questions are answered when daddy comes home with his special guest, Ana Daisy, the hairdresser from the barber shop. It is at this dinner where the Dominguez family will confront the pain of the past and the uncertainty of the future.
biography
Randy Wilkins was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. Looking to escape the rigors of the concrete jungle, Randy landed in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Franklin and Marshall College where he earned a BA in English. When his lifelong dream, to play professional baseball ended with a severe injury, Randy discovered a new passion, filmmaking. His first documentary, "100%Live," was the subject of a feature article in the Lancaster New Era and appeared on Jesse Rhine's TV show "NY Film Shorts." Along the way, Randy befriended legendary director Spike Lee and enrolled in NYU's Tisch School of the Arts graduate film program to improve his craft. The list of stories that Randy has put on film includes: "Kaleidoscope," "Benjamins," the award winning "Harlem's Blues," and the moving short documentary, "The Anniversary." His latest work, "Osvaldo's" is an emotionally engaging drama that features the Dominguez family's journey in finding a new identity after the matriarch's untimely passing. The film recently received a Screenwriting Award along with a Best Acting Award for Gina Rodriguez's portrayal of Ana Daisy from NYU'S First Run Film Festival. In addition, Randy has worked as an assistant editor on Lee's "When the Levees Broke" and also as a featured extra and camera operator on "Miracle At St Anna."
Director's IMDb Page
filmmaker's note
Osvaldo’s was conceived completely by accident. I was having my interview for the NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate film program when one of the faculty members mentioned that there was a piece of glitter on my face. Initially, I thought the glitter was distracting and he was asking for me to remove it. Instead, he wanted to know more about the glitter. I told him that prior to the interview I got a haircut from my local barbershop. The name of the shop was Osvaldo’s. Another faculty member asked me to describe my barber and describe a sequence of three events that occurred after the shop closed. This is where the story for the film was born.
Originally the film was about Juan Dominguez’s struggle to cope with his newfound responsibility of being a single dad. My parents have been divorced for over 15 years and I have been in the loving care of my mother ever since. This always made me curious how things would be if my dad took care of my sister and I. The more I thought about it the more I was captivated by the idea of the father being incapable of assuming the figurehead position of the family and one of the children assuming that role. How would the interpersonal relationships play out if the child acted upon more traditional parent responsibilities and sensibilities? What would happen if one parent was removed from the equation and the remaining parent didn’t really know his or her own kids? How does the presence of a relative stranger affect an unstable dynamic?
I decided to have the mother pass away because I wanted to place the family in a desperate situation. The stakes needed to be raised to the point where the only viable option for the Dominguez family is to move forward. The arrival of Ana Daisy to a home of transition serves as the catalyst for the family to self-evaluate themselves and one another. The film explores how they begin that journey with the realization that things have changed permanently.
A very important step for me in writing the screenplay was fusing my personal experiences with that of the Dominguez family. Jerry was an opportunity for me to explore certain feelings that have stayed with me for years. The intimate relationship between Jerry and his sister Glenda is almost a mirror image of the one that I have with my sister. It was imperative to me that the family came across as sincere and organic as possible. The intent was to highlight the cultural specifics of an evolving family and place them in the context of a universal story.
related links
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