Oscar-Shortlisted Short THE MASTERPIECE Interview: Capitalism Creates a Dilemma for a Wealthy Couple and a Couple of Scrap Dealers

Ladies and gentlemen, Alex Lora’s Oscar-shortlisted short film THE MASTERPIECE, is about Leo and Diana, a rich couple, bring a broken TV to a recycle point. They meet Salif and his son, two scrap dealers. Diana asks them to come to their house to get more objects. Once there, Leo looks at them collecting objects with mistrust, until they see the scrap dealers have something they want.

There are so many layers to this short film and you have to truly watch it with a cinematic eye. Every element of this film is part of the story.

The story captures your attention instantly. The characters stand alone separate from one other. They have different attitudes, different ideas, and where one couple is living the dream, the father and son are being reminded they aren’t in the wealthy class can only look at being at that level of wealth as if it is some sort of dream.

The cinematography is precise and places each of the characters in position of power, economic status, weakness, and vulnerability. In many cases, there is a winner and a loser.

THE MASTERPIECE is brilliant filmmaking. I love films that challenge me as I don’t just look at them at face value. There are stories within the making of a film. There are little things like objects or words or the mannerisms of the characters.

Spanish filmmaker Alex Lora. He won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in 2024 with his incredible short film THE MASTERPIECE, which has recently been Oscar Shortlisted.

He is recipient of seven New York Emmys, winner of two Gaudi Awards, twice Goya Nominee and Student Academy Awards nominee.

Alex has screened three times at Sundance Film Festival as Official Selection. Listed as one of the top 10 promising Spanish directors to watch for in Variety's Cannes Edition.

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