Comunidad

Comunidad is a beautifully styled fashion film directed by Marco Castro and inspired by skating culture. However, it’s not just about aesthetics; the film also stands as commentary on the lack of hispanic representation in the United States. Brands love to talk about diversity, but are we truly seeing any structural changes in our society? Let’s talk to Castro to find out.

What inspired you to direct Comunidad? Why did you decide to focus on skating culture?
Comunidad, like my other films, reflects my own experience as an immigrant in the United States. In particular, I feel much related to Chachi, our main character, as I was growing up on the streets of NYC, and everything I learned and taught myself about street culture I picked up from my chosen family, my community.
Skating culture, for me, is about perseverance. As a skater, you push yourself daily to learn and master new tricks. You fall and hurt yourself, but you always get back up proud because you tried. You look out for each other without judgment. For most people skating is just about the aesthetics, but it is beyond that, and I wanted to share that with the film.
We love the styling. Who did you work with? And what was the brief you gave?
The styling was in the hands of Willy Chavarria and Marcus Correa. They are both like family to me. I have worked with Willy for the last five years, and I wanted to feature his SS22 collection, focusing on textures, color combinations, and shapes. Working with Willy and his team is always perfect synergy.
The casting is everything in Comunidad. Can you tell us about the men in your film and how you found them?
I have worked with most of them in previous editorials and shows. I shared screenshots of their faces and IG handles with Jorge Anaya, our casting director, and he made it happen!
The film addresses the issue of the lack of Hispanic representation in the US. Can you share some of your favorite Hispanic creatives you've had the chance to work with and whom you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Yes, the mission of my work is never purely aesthetics. There is always a message in everything I do. With this film, I felt that it was essential to address the lack of Hispanic representation regarding decision-making and creative executive chairs. Most brands love to talk about inclusion and diversity these days. Still, I can assure you that the heads behind those marketing strategies, video campaigns, and photographs are not minorities for the most part.
My most recent favorites are Willy Chavarria and Tokischa. I'll love to work with Bad Bunny, Rosalia, Victor Barragan, Jerry Lorenzo, and Guillermo Andrade. Still, most importantly, I would love to work with any Latinx talent that speaks clearly of our culture through their art.
What can we expect from you next?
I have been working on a couple of new film projects that I can hopefully share with Curation Hour in the future. And finally, this year, after intensive work, I will be launching a brand focused on beauty and my Peruvian origin.