A strange old hotel where the only escape is through a labyrinth of rooms filled with mystery, horror and adventure.
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1. What motivated you to make this film?
During the pandemic, I decided to sharpen my skills by exploring newly available animation software and AI tools. I was able to produce a short animated film in a very short amount of time, which inspired me to experiment further using an existing feature-length screenplay of mine, Hotel Purgatorio. I reformatted the screenplay into a 17-episode web series. What began as an experiment—just a few episodes—quickly turned into a passion project. I never stopped. I eventually completed all 17 episodes and edited the series into a full-length feature film.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
The story was first conceptualized back in 2005. In the mid-2000s, I collaborated with two writers—my friend and film director Noel F. Lim, and published horror author David Hontiveros. We approached the screenplay as if we had an unlimited budget. The script went on to win at the 2015 Fright Night Film Fest. Because the project was too expensive to produce as a live-action film, I initially planned to turn it into a graphic novel, with the hope of someday producing it as an animated film. In 2023, I discovered a combination of new AI tools and traditional workflows that finally made it possible to produce Hotel Purgatorio at a much lower cost and within a shorter timeframe.
3. How would you describe your film in two words?
Afterlife Odyssey
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
This is an animated film, and I worked on it almost entirely on my own. With the workflow I adopted, most obstacles were manageable. The biggest challenge I faced was malfunctioning hard drives—but thankfully, all data was fully recovered.
5. There are five stages of filmmaking: Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, and Distribution.
What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?**
My favorite stages are production and post-production—especially when collaborating with a team I enjoy working with, such as actors, production designers, editors, cinematographers, and others. This kind of collaboration is what I missed most during the production of Hotel Purgatorio.
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
In high school, I came across an article explaining how Disney animated films were made. I bought two large books on animation and convinced my parents to buy me a Super 8 camera. My very first short film was a mix of live action, claymation, and cel animation.
7. What film have you seen the most times in your life?
Blade Runner
8. In a perfect world, who would you like to work with or collaborate with on a film?
Guillermo del Toro.
9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experience been using the platform?
For me, FilmFreeway is the best festival platform available. It makes it very easy to search for and submit to the most suitable festivals for a specific film project.
10. What is your favorite meal?
My mother’s roast beef.
11. What is next for you? A new film?
I have already begun working on Infierno, which is sort of a sequel to Hotel Purgatorio. The core idea is simple and provocative: Planet Earth is Hell.
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