Meet Cynthia Cazañas Garin | Filmmaker and Professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cynthia Cazañas Garin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cynthia, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks makes us grow personally and professionally. Progress takes place outside of our comfort zone. I left Cuba right after college graduation when I was 22 years old. I won a scholarship to get my Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television at Emerson College in Boston. I did not know anyone (friends or family) in Boston. Even though my tuition was almost fully covered, I still needed to pay for living expenses out of pocket and I had no idea how to do that coming from Cuba where my parent’s savings was enough to cover a month of rent, maybe two. I was relying on my campus job to support myself. I decided to take the risk and I’ll never regret it. It was the best decision of my life. Taking risks allowed me to explore new horizons, make lifelong connections and develop my skillset.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ajar Film Productions LLC was founded by me and my husband Pablo Perez with the purpose of making films that respond to the needs of our community and leave a lasting impression on people’s minds. We want to make films that are purposeful, unique and meaningful. We are proud to support clients from the most diverse background and cultural experiences.

From a young age, I started using film to advocate for social justice. In Cuba, I was trained to do more with less. I soon learned all it takes is a solid script and motivation. In the United States, my research line has evolved into new topics, including immigration and cultural assimilation as a process of reshaping and reimagining immigrant identities. Being from Cuba has shaped who I am and the kind of stories I tell. Living in the United States has reinforced my Cubaness.

Passion is the driving force of success. To me, success means two things: doing what you are most passionate about and make a living our of it. I carefully set short and long-term goals and work hard to achieve them. Internalizing what is important and why, enables me to improvise if things don’t go as planned.

Persistence is the second driving force of success. My career path is permeated with rejections. The literal meaning of the word “no” is a definite negative answer or decision. To me “no” means “no, right now or right here,” which translates into time and space. Rejections should be turned to our advantage and be seen as an opportunity to rediscover ourselves and demonstrate our true strength. Rejections make us grow as human beings and should not be taken for granted in our path to success.

I absolutely love my job as a film professor at the University of Colorado, Denver. Being affiliated to the college, allows me to not only teach and inspire new generations of students, but I also engage in community leadership and devote quality time to my own creative projects through Ajar Film Productions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The first place I would take someone from out of town would be the 16th Street Mall, the Denver Art Museum and metro area. I love the modern architecture and the vibrance of the city. At noon, I would drive to Cuba Cuba Cafe & Bar and have my favorite meal “Lechón Asado” with rice and beans, and a side of “Yuca Frita.” Later, I would take them to City Park Jazz, the Denver Zoo, and the Museum of Science. Next day I’d drive down to Colorado Springs to see the Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and go dance at night at one of the Latin clubs downtown.

I would also not let them leave town without paying a visit to Vail, which is my favorite place in the mountains. We would go skiing and have lunch at the Vail Village.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my parents Mary and Damian for encouraging me to pursue my dreams, no matter how impossible they seemed. They always said my willingness to sacrifice determines my success – at least it increases my odds. They believed in me.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Anett Lopez, a cousin from Miami who sponsored my graduate studies in the United States. I could include that I call her my cousin. Even though we are not blood cousins everyone knows her by my cousin because of how close we are and how much she’s done for me and my family. Without her support, I wouldn’t be able to make it.

I cannot fail to mention Robert Schwartz and Emily Sedgwick from Boston, who I call “my American parents.” This generous couple offered me room and board upon my arrival from Cuba, gave me love and guidance throughout my career. I hold them in my heart and I always will.

I also wanted to thank my cinematography professor at Emerson College, Shaun Clarke, for his mentorship and continued support.

Website: https://www.ajarfilmproductions.com

Instagram: @ajarfilmproductions

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-cazanas-garin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CynthiaCazanas

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.cazanasgarin/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ajar-film-productions-denver

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYtJX6Ur0oYg05U9Lu_dQzA

Image Credits
Pablo Perez