Actress Elizabeth Dominguez anchors the new movie California Winter. The film serves as a companion piece to The Big Short – only this one is seen through the eyes of the ‘people’ not the businessman. The movie was born out of interviews conducted of homeowners in foreclosure in the Los Angeles area in 2009. This was the height of the crash, and with so much unknown, one thing was clear: people had fallen into a rabbit-hole of financial uncertainty, and the crisis was having a profound effect on their lives and communities. We spoke to Dominguez about the topical, terrific film.
Do you remember how you got involved in California Winter?
Odin and I became friends and I ended up co-producing and acting in a short film that he wrote and directed. We worked so well together and had so much fun that we decided that we wanted to work together more. Odin was working on a documentary where he interviewed and met actual families that were dealing with the housing crash and he was inspired to tell their story. I was thrilled to be a part of the project from the get go.
What was the initial appeal for you?
The appeal for me has always been the human element of the story. The desperation and the loss of control that the characters live through is something that we all have dealt with at some point in our lives. Most importantly its a story that needs to be told. So many families are still dealing with the repercussions of predatory bank policies.
Can you talk a little about working with Odin Ozdil?
Working with Odin is a pleasure. He is an incredibly intelligent, focused and kind director. I always felt safe and supported while dealing with a lot of vulnerability.
When did you first see the film with an audience? What kind of feedback have you gotten?
The first time we screened the film with an audience was at the Dances with Films festival. It was an incredible experience to share our film and to have it received with such a positive response. The feedback has been great. The audiences always seem to connect the most with the relationship between Clara and her father, which couldn’t make me happier. For me that relationship is the driving force of the film.
CALIFORNIA WINTER is now available via Amazon Instant Video
