» La Niña del Desierto

About this Film
Festivals and Awards
Crew
Cast

Out in the desert, where the United States blurs with Mexico, Javier Martinez lives alone out of his pickup truck. He digs anonymous graves for his meager livelihood - numb to morality and apathetic towards everyone. His boss is a bigoted wannabe gangster, and he habitually ignores the pleas for a human connection with the local gas station attendant. But one day, on a routine grave dig, Javier is visited by an apparition that not only transforms his indifferent outlook, but sets him on the path to redemption.

DIRECTOR'S BIO

Malachi Rempen was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He started making stop-motion animations at age ten, and in high school he directed five award-winning short films. The Silver Lincoln, directed by Malachi in 2008, has gone on to screen at festivals in Michigan, New Mexico, and Washington. Malachi also directed Corner Store in the summer of 2008 as part of a Chapman University travel course in collaboration with students from the Seoul Institute of the Arts in South Korea. La Niña del Desierto won Best Picture (Undergraduate), Best Director (Undergraduate), and Best Cinematography (Undergraduate) at Chapman University's 2009 Cecil Awards.

La Niña del Desierto on IMDB
ASC Student Cinematography Awards 2010
Honorable Mention

Reno Film Festival 2010
Best Short (Winner)

Fallbrook Film Festival 2010
Best Narrative Short (Winner)

Foursite Film Festival 2010
Best Short (Winner)

Albuqerque Film Festival 2010
Best Short (Nomination)

Newport Beach Film Festival 2010

Lake Arrowhead Film Festival 2010
Rotary Club's Best Student Film (Nomination)

Flicks Film Fest 2010

20ème festival international du cort-métrage étudiant 2010

Cinestud International Student Film Festival 2010

Weber State University Student Film Festival 2010

Laguna Art Museum 2010

Santa Fe Film Festival 2009
Best Narrative Short (Nomination)
Long Island International Film Expo 2010
Best Short / Best Director (Short)

Big Bear Horror Film Festival 2010
Outstanding Performance / Outstanding Special Effects Makeup

Chicago Horror Film Festival 2010
Best Short Film

Eugene International Film Festival 2010
Best Horror Short

Fargo Fantastic Film Festival 2010
Best Thriller

Naperville Independent Film Festival 2010
Best Actor

Tupelo Film Festival 2011
1st Place Student Film

Kent Film Festival 2010
Best Short Film

Landlocked Film Festival 2010
1st Place Student Film

Indie Gathering Film Festival 2010
1st Place Short

Park City Film Music Festival 2010
Gold Medal Jury Award

Honolulu Film Festival 2010
Silver Lei Award

Action on Film Festival 2010
First Runner Up - Student Film / Best Villian Short

International Student Film Festival Hollywood 2010
Best Horror / Thriller

New York International Independent Film Festival 2010
Best Thriller Short

Leo Freedman Award 2009
Winner
- Director/Writer: Malachi Rempen
- Producers: Malachi Rempen, Boa Simon & Matthew Sullivan
- Cinematographer: Boa Simon
- Editor: Daniel McLellan
- Production Designer: Daisy Robinson
- Sound Designer: Robert Brinkerhoff
- First A.D.: Andrea Mgebroff
- Joaquín Garrido: Javier
- Dani-Rose Gonzalez: La Niña
- Misha Gonz-Cirkl: Maria
- Baxter Smith: Costa