Meet Pablo Riesgo Almonacid | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pablo Riesgo Almonacid and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pablo, how do you think about risk?
For starters, my last name means risk in Spanish, so…

But on a serious note, risk taking has shaped my entire life. During childhood, my father took risks leaving our home in Spain to find better work opportunities, but that meant leaving a comfortable life behind. I would say that spirit for risk taking has shaped me more in recent years but not so much early on in my career. In undergrad, I got a double major degree in Economics and Film, why? Because film was not the safe path to a good life, it was risky. So I took half steps in my early twenties, walking the line between the life I wanted to live, that of being a filmmaker, while making sure I would be able to make it on my own if I needed it, the safe path… After doing interships in banking and accounting firms, I realized that I could not take half steps so I focused all my energies into film. BUT, again, afraid that I would not be able to make it as a filmmaker, I took 9 to 5 jobs working slowly on short films, but not really seeing any big steps in my career as a filmmaker.

When the pandemic hit, I read Robert Rodriguez’s book, Rebel Without A Crew, and it motivated to just take leap of faith. So I worked hard on getting my first feature film off the ground, and with a poor production plan I quit my job at the management company and left to make a film. It’s two years later now I have my first feature film which will be released later this year in Spain and worldwide with a great distribution company, I have the most amazing people in my team supporting me, got a masters degree in directing at the American Film Institute and my own production company, Cine De Riesgo (Risky Cinema in English), which operates under the motto: Tirate a la piscina (a Spanish saying for taking risks).

I’m still young and the more experience I have, the more reaffirmed I am that taking risks is the only way to live. This past month I decided to start a podcast called Cinema Starts, in which I interview established filmmakers about the risks they took in their early careers and how that shaped who they are today… Betting big has given me more opportunities than I could ever imagine. I want to make sure that when it all comes to an end, I can look back and be proud of everything I decided to try and fail at.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Because of my nomadic life growing up, I am very interested in exploring the immigrant experience in my work, and how that experience affect the personal and family dynamics. I am always excited to watch films that explore these themes and last year we got two great examples: Bardo and The Fabelmans. My first feature film, Marco Polo, explores how the choices my family and I took shaped us, and the demons and angels we carry with us. I am very proud I can use my art to explore my own life experiences and share that with the world, hoping that an audience will connect and feel seen in the story.

It takes a lot of work and there is lot of work ahead still, specially when we are starting out, you need a lot of support from peers and mentors, but you also need to put in the time, to write, to prepare, to shoot and edit, to do all the paperwork that running a production company takes. It is not easy, but it is worth it. To overcome the challenges I have learned to take a step back. I used to try to solve a problem right away when it hit me, without thinking if I was working on the best solution and this lead some times to more problems, or a lot of time spent on the wrong path… instead now I make sure that I take time to meditate on the problem before taking action. When a challenge that needs solving comes my way, I carry a journal where I meditate, weigh the pros vs cons of the possible paths and decide what to do then, not before.

What I want people to know about my brand is that I always want to keep it fresh and interesting, try new things and paths within the themes I like to explore. Right now I am working on my thesis film for the American Film Institute which is a Sci-Fi that explores Artificial Intelligence and Mental health. At least for the early stages of my career, I want to keep experimenting and exploring. “Finding my voice” as they say will come with time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.Just because everyone that comes over to LA wants a photo by the Hollywood sign, I would take my friend for an early breakfast to Alcove on Hillhurst, then take them for a long hike at Griffith park all the way to the observatory and then over to the sign, so they can see a panoramic view of the city and take photos from the hill. The second half of the day I would spend showing them cool spots of Downtown like The Last Bookstore and then have a great BBQ in Korea Town.

Another plan I have organized that friends have loved is renting bikes in Santa Monica and ride on to Venice Beach. Have lunch in Venice and then return to for a nice walk on the pier, show them where Route 66 ends or begins.

Spend a day surfing in Malibu or on the beach by the Malibu Pier and then come back to Hollywood for dinner at Tao and then take a walk on the Walk of Fame ending with a drink at Good Times at Davey Waynes or a good bar in the area.

With the touristy stuff out of the way, I would take my friends for a dinner and drink at La Floridita, a great Cuban Restaurant and bar for latin dance. If I know they are into Jazz or swing dancing, go to Cliftons for a live show. Also WeHo for a good night of bar hoping and good vibes.

In terms of restaurants, I love Bacari in Silver Lake for a good dinner and Osteria La Buca in Hollywood.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, the list is too long to write. If I ever got an award, I always wanted to do a gag where I showed up with a scroll that is 100 feet long that includes everyone who has supported me in any way during my entire life and let the music play. So I will list just one for each: Thank you for the efforts of my parents and my wife, for helping and pushing me in my career and being there through the highs and lows. Thank you for the support of my fellow filmmakers and friends who have helped me make my first films, it takes an army to get a film made. Thank you for the mentorship of my manager and good friend, Meredith. Thank you to the American Film Institute for teaching me amongst talented peers and professors. And thank you, Robert Rodriguez, for writing your wonderful book that gave me the courage to take the first leap of faith into the abyss… 

Website: www.cinederiesgo.com

Instagram: @pabloriesgo

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablo-riesgo-703b3098/

Twitter: @PabloRiesgo94

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pablo.riesgo.94

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user83837940 Podcast: www.cinemastarts.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1HtZuPyCjpsXyIRi7nvHmd?si=d3d4c184e4004dd1

Image Credits
Image Credits: Marko Alonso, Joshua Makela, Juliette Poirier, Marem Hassler