In his latest hybrid film, Border Hopper, Nico Casavecchia tackles the often solemn subject of immigration with a distinctively chaotic, psychedelic lens.Co-written with his wife, Mercedes Arturo, and based on their own lived experiences, the film reimagines the American immigration system not just as a hurdle, but as a high-stakes video game where the rules are constantly changing.We sat down with the filmmaker to discuss how he used mixed media to bridge storytelling gaps, the challenges of shooting in his own home to save budget, and why he believes directors should stop making decks and start making films.Let's dive in. - YouTubewww.youtube.comNFS: Hi Nico! Your film Border Hopper weaves animation alongside live-action in a way that reshapes how we interpret the characters’ experiences. What storytelling gap did animation allow you to bridge that live-action alone could not?Nico Casavecchia: I’m a self-taught filmmaker, so I’ve always used whatever tools were around me to tell stories. My first short was shot on a grainy 480p webcam. Animation quickly became a way to express the subjectivity of my characters, and over time, my voice drifted toward mixed media, creating hybrid projects for film and commercials.While writing Border Hopper, a Henry Rollins quote that had been sloshing in my head for years came back to me: “America is not a place you live in, it’s a video game you survive.” It made me think of my own immigration experiences, not just in the US but also in Europe, where I lived for a decade...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday