The Red Stain, Written & Directed by The Directors Bureau’s Rodrigo Saavedra
Sombras (Shadows) by Jon Ayon Named Winner of the Francis Coppola Director’s Short Film Competition
Watch Both Films HERE!
GEYSERVILLE, California (January 22, 2018) –The Family Coppola premiered its first original branded short film, The Red Stain, written and directed by The Directors Bureau’s Rodrigo Saavedra, during the Sundance Film Festival on Friday night in front of a packed audience. The brand also unveiled the winner of the Francis Coppola Director’s Short Film Competition, Sombras (Shadows), directed by Jon Ayon.
The Red Stain is a 10-minute film set in Italy that follows a longtime married couple with a dry-cleaning business as they swap sensational stories to explain a mysterious red-wine stain on the garment of their handsome young customer, Billy. As their debate progresses, the tall tales climb higher, until the couple is left with a mixture of awe and suspicion for their American visitor. With a watchful eye, viewers can find carefully placed Easter eggs throughout the film.
A Cannes Lions–winning director, Saavedra crafts films that meld humor with brand focus, bringing a dose of smart comedy and narrative through-line to his work, and that sentiment is evident in The Red Stain. Saavedra is known for his artistic approach to brands such as Corona, Chivas and Volkswagen, among many others. Accomplished filmmaker and entrepreneur Roman Coppola helped select the Brazilian director, who he felt really captured the essence of the Coppola brand.
The Francis Coppola Director’s Short Film Competition was a collaboration with Zoetrope: All-Story and Francis Ford Coppola Winery, the exclusive wine sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival. The competition received nearly 1,000 entrants, which were narrowed down to a total of five finalists selected by Roman Coppola: Jon Ayon (winner, Sombras (Shadows)), Gus Péwé (This Vacuum Is Too Loud), Odessa Young (Upside Down Feeling), Matt Nelsen (“Banging Ideas”) and David Bornstein (A King’s Betrayal). Film buffs can still cast their votes for the competition’s Viewer’s Choice Award at www.TheCoppolaClub.com.
The winning selection, Sombras (Shadows), directed by Jon Ayon, a Mestizo filmmaker and son of immigrants from El Salvador and Mexico, is the touching story of Jon’s parents’ immigration to the United States. The filmmaker’s emotional interviews with his mother and father about their experiences as undocumented immigrants give the audience an intimate, firsthand accounting of the fear, uncertainty, and hope that marked their journeys to this country and continue to define their lives.
All five short film competition finalists and The Red Stain can be viewed in their entirety at www.TheCoppolaClub.com.
About The Family Coppola
The Family Coppola encompasses all of the things Francis loves most—cinema, wine, food, resorts and adventure—and embraces quality, authenticity and pleasure as a backbone to each of these vibrant business endeavors. Anchored in Sonoma County, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, known for its superior level of quality and integrity, is, as Francis puts it, “a wine wonderland, a park of pleasure where people of all ages can enjoy all the best things in life: food, wine, music, dancing, games, swimming and performances of all types. A place to celebrate the love of life.” Coppola’s second foray into Sonoma County came in 2015 with the launch of Virginia Dare Winery, American wines since 1835, ushering in a new era of elevated quality and vineyard-specific wines. The Family Coppola are lovers not only of wine, but spirits, as well. Great Women Spirits—small-batch, house-crafted, classically styled spirits—are a collection of spirits as unique and remarkable as the women they honor. The Family Coppola Hideaways are a collection of unique properties where adventure meets serenity. Drawing upon inspiration from his film career and travels around the globe to the far-reaching corners of the world, Francis created each resort, embracing off-the-beaten-track locations and making each locale an ideal destination for exploring the natural wonders of the area while relaxing in tranquil surroundings. Additionally, The Family Coppola operates a venerable film production company, American Zoetrope; the award-winning literary and art magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story; Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco’s iconic Sentinel Building in North Beach; and Mammarella Foods, an authentic line of premium organic pastas and sauces. www.TheFamilyCoppola.com.
About The Directors Bureau & TDB: Special Projects
The Directors Bureau has been operating out of Hollywood for over 20 years, and maintains a distinctive roster of directors who capture the popular imagination in a broad range of media. Their mission to build an acclaimed dossier of like-minded artists with varied careers has been marked by highly newsworthy and cinematic endeavors. A singular company culture fosters originality and collaboration, which shines through in the company’s exceptional work.
TDB: Special Projects division provides bespoke concepts, marketing and media solutions to a select group of clients.
