MALAGA. 05/03/2024. The city of Acarigua, Venezuela, becomes the epicentre of hope and music in 'La sombra del sol', the latest film directed by award-winning filmmaker Miguel Ángel Ferrer. With a distinguished 18-year career in the international film and advertising industry, Ferrer began his career as a cameraman for National Geographic, tackling crucial issues such as modern slavery and human trafficking.

In this new film, Ferrer introduces Leo, a worker facing economic hardship in Acarigua, Venezuela. One day, Alex, his deaf younger brother, proposes that he participate in a musical contest by singing a song he has composed, in the hope of winning a prize that will get them out of their economic problems. When an incident at work leads to his firing, Leo is forced to unearth his musical skills and do the impossible to change their fates, blending their voices in an unforgettable journey.

The film is presented as a testimony to the strength of art and human resilience, as stated by the director and actors Camila Curtis and Anyelo López, along with its producer Álvar Carretero de la Fuente, during the discussion following the official screening.
 
The cast of this inspiring story is completed by Carlos Manuel González, Greisy Mena, Jeizer Ruiz, David Olaves, Richard Clark and Pedro Alonso.
The director highlighted the origin of the project, which was motivated by the perseverance of the Venezuelan community. The spirit of self-improvement was his main source of inspiration, along with his personal childhood experiences, where disability was present in his family. 'From a very young age, I was aware that disability is in our minds'. The filming, carried out in 18 days, with 63 locations and 8 actors, also reflects the artistic and technical team's overcoming of difficulties during production.
Anyelo López, who stars in the story and has already won two awards for his performance, emphasised that his participation in the film was encouraged by the insistence of his family, who always believed in his potential as a first-time actor. His commitment to the project is an affirmation that 'hearing impaired people can also access the world of film', affirming the importance of overcoming any challenges.

Camila Curtis, the main actress, confirmed that this is the most moving project of her career. For his part, the producer, Álvar Carretero de la Fuente, expressed his gratitude to the production team, led by Marisa Carvajal, who were the key to carrying out such a challenging shooting in less than three weeks. On the reaction of the Venezuelan public to the film's cinema screening, he emphasised the universality of an apparently local story: 'With a lot of warmth and nostalgia, as a film that offers hope to the Venezuelan people'.

'La Sombra del Sol', premiered at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood (Los Angeles) and with its commercial release already finished in Venezuela, awaits its premiere in Spanish cinemas and promises a successful career with a recent selection at the Miami Film Festival and 16 nominations in different categories.