Paloma
Director: Raul Martinez Liera
Mexico, 2025, 25 min
Shooting Format:Digital
Festival Year:2026
Category:Narrative Short
Genres:Drama, Romance
Cast:Patricia Bernal, Robert Gadol Lavenstein, Guillermo Treistman, Hernán del Riego, Luis Eduardo Yee, Milena Pezzi
Crew:Writer: Robert Gadol Lavenstein. Producers: Dimitri Voulgaris, Pepe Mota, Adriana Gaxiola Loustaunau, Robert Gadol Lavenstein. Executive Producers: S. Leimbach, Luis Rosales
Email:palomafilm24@gmail.com
Synopsis
Two strangers experience the magic of their unexpected connection one night in Mexico City.
About the director
Raul Martinez Liera is a Mexican artist and filmmaker residing in New York City. With a background in advertising, he has written and directed short films, music videos, documentary projects, commercials, and a web series. His passion for storytelling resonates in all his work, extending from graphic design and creative direction to photography.
Filmmaker's note
Connecting with a soul mate I believe is one of the most special human acts that we can experience. A whole universe opens and the raw feeling of connection is so palpable that it’s undeniably an act of love. I love when you get the feeling that anything and everything is possible when you have such encounters, full of openness and vulnerability. Moments like these makes me love human connection and the experience of life more and more.
“Paloma” is a labor of love that speaks to the serendipitous and transformative moments in life when two souls connect in a way that feels both rare and deeply meaningful. This film is inspired by the idea that we meet soulmates at various points in our lives, those magnetic connections that feel like we’ve known someone forever despite having just met.
The story of Evan and Paloma is a testament to the unexpectedness of such encounters and the fluidity of intimacy that can arise from them.
Visually, the film is designed to be both intimate and expansive. We treat Mexico City as a character in itself, framing it through the fresh eyes of Evan and the nostalgic gaze of Paloma. The cinematography is intended to feel nostalgic, like when you hold an old photo that represents a frozen moment in time.
“Paloma” is an exploration of the transformative power of human connection and the beauty of embracing life’s unexpected encounters. It is my hope that audiences will leave the film with a renewed appreciation for those fleeting yet impactful moments that shape our lives in profound ways.