AMARU FILMS

In 2004, Christian Vinces founded AMARU FILMS in order to develop his film projects. Since then, the company has grown and slowly carved its place with different projects and collaborations.

Christian is a Peruvian filmmaker who graduated from San Marcos University (Lima, Peru) with a B.A. in Social Communication and from SUNY-Purchase (Purchase, New York) with a B.F.A. in Film. He later earned his M.A. in Media Management from Long Island University (Brooklyn, NY) and is a proud alumnus of the Writing Workshop and Director’s Workshop at NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers).

Currently Christian travels between Los Angeles, New York and Lima (Peru) in order to develop different film projects.

THE Amaru

In Andean Mythology, the Amaru is a dragonlike creature that destroys worlds in order to create space for new ones. It is believed that the apparition of the Amaru marks important transitions, such as droughts, shifts of power, wars or plagues. Part jaguar, part deer and part serpent, the Amaru is a symbol for life, wisdom, strength and power.

Often times, the Amaru is confused with a dragon or an enormous serpent (in Quechua: Machakuay), but it has never been a representation of harm or danger. However, its apparition, many times sudden and violent, is an unmistakable sign of change.

Amaru Films is inspired by this powerful being, as we aspire to acknowledge filmmaking as a personal art. The Amaru destroys worlds before replacing them with new ones, and similarly we believe it necessary to drop our own expectations in order to grow. Filmmaking’s aesthetics are cultural and every individual has to break down personal barriers in order to discover his/her own approach to the process.

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Below, you will find some of our earlier works. These movies showcase the talent of those who have helped us over the years while also revealing the evolution of our vision. Be kind to these stories, as they are a window to who we were.

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Six months after her brother killed an innocent family and himself in a DUI accident, Dana still struggles with her loss.

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Count to Five

Billy and Addison are two junkies who have robbed money from a gang and are trying to leave town. Yet Addison needs one more shot, and that delay may cost them all

Cup of tea

After being dumped by her boyfriend, Amy finds herself heartbroken and, suddenly, sick. As she tries different remedies from a traditional medicine store, she fails to realize that her sickness is a product of her emotions. She comes to realize this only when trying to translate her problems to the Chinese lady who tries to helps her.

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Winter In New York

The very personal story of two lovers whose fears force them to make a sudden decision. With New York City as its backdrop, this short examines intercultural relationships, the cultural shock of immigration, the beauty of love and the power of fear.

The Author. His Character

Loosely inspired by the works of Borges and Sabato, this story dives into the psyche of the Author, his creative process and his motivations: When does the creative process start? What does the Author fear? Does he create out of vanity and with the secret hope to outlast his mortal existance? Does he tell a story because it needs to be told? Does he create a character to help him or to toy with?

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Kill The Dog

Carlos has decided to follow his family tradition and start boxing. But this choice will create a lot of friction with his mother, who wants him to stop, and his brother Luis, who wants him to go all the way. Carlos will have to decide if he will follow his family’s legacy or start one of his own

Titan Safety Systems

Conceived by Malcolm Goodwin, this short story is a great example of a strong premise developed with simplicity. Pre-produced in 7 days and shot in 2, this short doesn’t try too hard to mislead its audience.

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Cain's Mark

A very unique story, inspired by the simplicity and low story arch of some Neo-Realist films. Cain’s Mark paints a unique portrayal of New York: the contrast between a mechanical office life and a cold street existence. Focused on mundane details and everyday routines, this film tells many small stories to slowly weave the cold fabric of an unstoppable reality. This is a less known New York City, a New York most people never see.

The Colonel Ignacio Santillian

Strongly influenced by Magical Realism, this short film explores family ties and the consequences of running away instead of embracing responsibilities. In a world where the living and the dead coexist, Ernesto Santillan and his long lost niece Veronica go back to the old family house. Once there, Veronica learns the long family history that started a century ago but that is to finish only when she learns to forgive. Only then will Ernesto find out what really happened to his great grandfather: The Colonel Santillan.

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The Night Lying Down

Also known as Preface, this short film was to introduce us to a fantasy world that is contained within ours. It was originally inspired by Cortazar’s The Night Face Up. The plot is the beginning of a much larger story that was to be explored in a future feature film: Andrew is caught between the creature known as Ashtar and Francisco Hidalgo, a conquistador that was tricked by the creature: he became immortal but lost the ability to recall good memories. Andrew will try to negotiate with these characters in order to find his father.

Thank You to Our Supporters and Collaborators

Through the years, there have been many people whose help and support have proven to be indispensable in the production of our films.

Special thanks, first and foremost, to Elma Pastorino and Fausto Vinces.

And also, with the same gratitude, to some of our first collaborators: Ryan O’Connor, Rey Valentin, Malcolm Goodwin, Gad Zeitune, Hernan Gonzalez, Victor Cruz, Andrew Lee, Lyndon Mc Gray, Evan Mc Cuclloch, Ryan Stokes, Lauren Philson, Nick D’Agostino, Billy Song, Eric Chaney, Josh Zangen, John Martinez, Jorge Olortegui, James Malki, Adam Vargas and Todd Sandler.

We also need to warmly thank our latest Supporters:

Lucy Fazely, Saurahb Sethi, Kunal Bhay, Claudette Hunter, Luis Reyes, Todd James Anderson, Robert Deere, Holly Heidt, Coen George Kipp, Yuri Vinces, Zylivet Diaz, Kendall and Doug Waller, Marcia Gallagher, Jennifer Weaver, Giacomo Vinces, Mary Haarmeyer, Carol Villegas, Andrea Fitzgerald, Elsa Pastorino, Timothy Snook, Giada Vinces, Zaida Pastorino and Manuel Nieves, Leticia Martignon, Carla Tassara, Sethu Nair, Lee Ann Rawley, Tayo Valqui, Mariah Robinson, Franco Valqui, Erik Zimmerman, Julian Jones, Majida Hamulic, Valentin Concha, Steven Anderson and Katie Booth.