Enrique Cruz Torres discusses NM film and embracing your cultural heritage
We sat down for coffee with producer Enrique Cruz Torres. His heart for the community and making space for people to thrive in the film industry is evident through every phase of his productions. He has spent a lot of time working his way up the industry ladder from being a production assistant up to Production Supervising. He gave us vital insight into how to start and sustain a film career. These days producing and project development take up a lot of his time, so we were grateful he found a moment to sit with us. We settled into the seats at the coffee shop, took a sip from our mugs and began…
How did you get started…
”Well, coming from immigrant parents from Mexico, I grew up with them working in the fields. I wasn’t introduced to the arts or pushed by my parents creatively because they were focused on building a safe home. My introduction to art was in high school when I learned how to cut and edit video and how to present a story. I fell in love with the idea of moving someone with a story. highschool projects focused on rock climbing and mechanics.”
“Initially I went to study electrical and computer engineering in college. I dove into that wild world of college and ended up growing a lot that way. There were a lot of different perspectives. I came from somewhere else and I realized it quickly. I really wanted to do film but started out in electrical engineering and didn’t switch over until my sophomore year.”
He sat down taking another sip of from his coffee cup as the chatter of the shop rumbled behind us…
Enrique grew up feeling he had to hustle on his own. It wasn’t until he worked with the advisors at UNM’s Centro de la Raza that he realized he might need help. He hated his classes, his high school was a tiny charter school and from a young age he got used to a close knit community. Now that he’d gone on to college, he realized he needed to find that community for himself.
He was living in two vastly different communities, one that was his culture and one that saw him as a “non traditional student”. He Said
“It makes you feel like you don’t belong there, I remember feeling different compared to everyone else.”
Building his community in college…
Eventually at UNM, Enrique began to feel like he was finding his people. When he first got there he didn’t even know there was a film center, but once he found his footing he helped the struggling UNM’s Southwest Film Center and The Cherry Reel Festival program. Through that work he met many leaders of New Mexico’s film industry. During his senior year he became the director of the Southwest Film Center. This helped him develop his skills as a producer and lead him to get his Masters of Business Administration. Later, he started the podcast “BESOMEBODY.” It strives to encourage people to follow their dreams like he was encouraged by UNM’s Centro de la Raza.
What are you most proud of…
“There has been alot of moments, most recent was in December 2021 when I was a production coordinator on a film shooting in Santa Fe. For whatever reason, we didn’t have a 2nd 2nd AD [Assistant Director]. I went to go help the props department carry some things and I saw the 1st AD struggling and becuase of my experience on set, I grabbed a walkie talkie helped out and ended up being the 2nd 2nd by the end of the day. We were in the Santa Fe plaza shooting this big scene. My father had just gotten off work and I saw him walking. I brought him on set and introduced him to everyone. I got to show him what all of his hard work and sacraficelead to; me being Abel to follow my passion and dreams.
He smiled and said, ‘Keep doing what makes you happy. Even saying this makes me feel emotional. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing. I think I could be happy for the rest of my life with just that memory of my dad, or another of when a friend showed his step-father a script I had written. He said it made him cry. Just knowing that I can move someone so much to express their emotions to the point of crying gives me the confidence to keep telling the stories care about because there are others that relate to my experience an to the lack of representation of these stories is what keeps me going.”
Do you ever get nervous…
“Its hard to complain about getting nervous or having doubts when my parents came from nothing and they gave me everything I ever needed. I owe it to them to push forward.
What inspires you recently…
“Everyone around me, All my filmmaker friends and just friends in general that are also following their passions. ! I love hearing their stories and watching them do what they love. Obviously, Upcoming writer/ directors like Cooper Rave. The Three Amigos inspire me as directors. Something else that comes to mind is I was working as a production supervisor on a feature and I pushed us to hire a Mexican office cleaner and I remembered one late night I was doing some late night paperwork in the production office. The cleaner and I got talking after everyone left and I was able to talk about where she grew up in mexico as well as where I grew up and my upbringing and she told me she was proud of me. My mom is also house cleaner and hearing that from her just meant so much, I remember cleaning offices with my mom as a kid and appreciating the time I spent with her.
Another weird motivation is seeing the Paletero guys who push the ice cream carts, ringing the bells and selling ice cream. Its a weird thing but I just have these memories as a kid with my dad where no matter what we were doing or going to he would always stop and buy something to support the “Raza”. I developed the most sincere form of respect for these workers, their mentality of doing whatever you need to do to get ahead and protect your family was beautiful.
What is one thing you would want to remind yourself in ten years…
“Just remember where you come from, and don’t let anything get to your head.”
Life happens for a reason…
“The whole reason I got my start in the film industry is because productions needed Covid compliance assistants. I would nag the Dean of UNM’s film department for money so I could make bigger and better events for the film students at UNM and eventually he recommended me for a gig. Long story short, it worked out. It was a Blumhouse film and I almost killed myself over working. It was the first feature back with Covid and we were the first production tackling system.“
“After that, I worked multiple positions on film sets working my way up. A friend of mine, Kay, recommended me for an on-set PA role. On the second day I was asked to get a coffee for the director. When I got to the crafty table I ran into the production supervisor from my first production. He was only there for five minutes and I happened to run into him, surprisingly. He remembered my name and how hard I worked. This lead to him asking meet work on his next film. He was the one who gave me my first real opportunity. It was an A24 film where I met some amazing producers.”
“From there it snowballed production after production to get me to where I am now.”
For those trying to break into the film industry…
“A lot of people expect to be get things handed to them. I would have done anything just to get on a film set and I did do everything (Enrique laughed). Take any opportunity you can and don’t take it for granted . Having a seat in the room is an opportunity and it gives you a voice. Don’t underestimate your ability to be open to any opportunity.”
What’s on the Horizon?
Enrique is currently finishing production on his debut Short Film “Stalled” which you can view below. After stalled is shown at festivals, he plans to develop several other personal productions which he intends to produce in New Mexico as well as continue to build his career towards a producer in the New Mexico Local Film Industry.
PASSWORD: STALLED
Enrique wanted to note, if anyone is curious about how to get into the industry to message him either on Social Media @enriquecruz.t or email him at enriquecruz246@gmail.com
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