Sometimes men behave like monsters, and sometimes monsters behave like men. There’s a little bit of each in every one of us. After a lifetime in the World, we all share the same regrets.

With all the swiftness that European films often offer, El Ogro certainly garnishes that charming way of life. The film is about instants, decisions and regrets in a man’s life, capturing four different moments that define who he is. Brought to life by Spanish director Jaime Dezcallar, who brought us an early favorite on Film Shortage: La Migala, making our Top 10 list in 2013.

I think it’s very interesting how we all regret the same things as we get older: not being brave enough to live the way you wanted, spending too much time working and too little with your family, loosing touch with friends… and how we pass through life trying to avoid thinking about this, being too busy to give the important things the importance they have. It seems that it only strikes you when it’s almost too late.

The film is about the memories of a man, so it was important to be with the camera either on the actor’s face reactions or to see things from his point of view, to try to portray his reality and his line of thought.

I also wanted to have always a feel of fear and nostalgia to the story. The film was shot in four days (one per location) with a RED ONE camera and beautiful Zeiss T1.4 High Speed vintage lenses with triangular bokeh. It was made with a lot of care and love both in production and postproduction. My goal was to shoot many stories in one, with different color palettes and very different spaces and actors. My previous film LA MIGALA was a very intense film with only one actor and one location, so I wanted to go on exteriors and make something with more light and more camera movements.

El Ogro is certainly not a perfect film, as even Jaime himself says it is not his best. La Migala worked better in film festivals, but this is the one in which he tried more things, made more mistakes and the one he says he learnt the most about filmmaking. As swift lesson that each film is an enormous lesson.