I noticed that information about all of Omar's films is pretty scattered, so I figured I'd make a topic compiling all of the information we have on them. Feel free to add anything.
A Manual Dexterity (2001)
- Jeremy Ward played the main character
- "The story follows two people over the course of one day and how they deal differently with similar situations."
- Informative article about the movie: FFWD Weekly
- The first volume of the soundtrack was released in 2004
- The second volume was released as Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus in 2008
- 90 minutes
Letters from Dystopia (2003)
- Pretty much nothing is known about this film other than the title
The Sentimental Engine Slayer (2007) (Released in 2013)
- First film to actually be released
- Premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2010
- "The Sentimental Engine Slayer tells the compelling, confounding tale of the overdue coming of age of a twenty-something misfit named Barlam. Barlam's awkward transition from boy to man is as much the story of struggling to find one's essence in a world of stereotypes as it is an indictment of the distorted reality of family life in the disengaged 21st century. A bottom-rung grocery bagger whose neo-incestuous relationship with his addict sister, Natalia, causes him no small amount of grief and disillusionment, Barlam seeks solace in the convoluted wisdom of what few male peers are available, namely his androgynous, alcoholic boss, Oscar, and the sister's simple-minded boyfriend, Zack. Seeking an explanation as to the strange circumstances of his apparent lack of family structure, as well as the respect from others fundamentally absent in his mundane model-building existence, Barlam is soon led astray amid a seedy underworld of prostitutes, hustlers and addicts. The labyrinthine plot soon begs questioning as to where reality ends and fantasy begins, Barlam shifting effortlessly between hapless punching bag, assertive surrogate father figure, and rage-prone psychopath."
- 96 minutes
- Trailers and stills can be found on the official site
- Poster
- The DVD includes deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes montage
- The DVD as well as other merch can be ordered here
- Here is a very informative interview about the film (contains spoilers)
- Main thread
El Divino Influjo de los Secretos (2008)
- Filmed in Juarez and Guadalajara, Mexico and Hamburg, Germany
- Currently in the sound design/ADR/mixing phase and will be making its premiere in 2012
- "Two best friends, Raul (Nomar Rizo) and Amy (Tatiana Velazquez) living in war torn Juarez, Mexico, embark on a journey to re-connect a heartbroken Raul with his lost love Gaby. During the journey, which leads them to Germany, their friendship is put to the test as they battle with cultural differences, disillusion, trust, and being an ocean away from the only home they ever knew."
- Gaby is played by Ximena
- All in Spanish
- Drama/Romance/Road movie
- 92 minutes
- Notes by Adam Thomson:
"We filmed this film on and off over 2 years, with the dedicated crew of "Los Arquitectos de la Histeria". An exercise in improvisational filmmaking, a film truly crafted in the editorial stage. Never working off of a conventional "script", (and building off of our experience on our last film in constructing a non-linear story) Omar and myself took much liberty in the editing room with re-arranging our scenes and inventing a story out of the hour upon hours of footage we took during our shoots in Juarez and Hamburg. With ADR as our best friend, the film's story began to emerge and we shot some new scenes some time later. The film took on a very poetic quality, getting lost in the beautiful environment photography of Juarez Mx, and the stark urban landscapes of Hamburg, while balancing perfectly with our protagonist friends as they debate the philosophy of love, loss, and friendship. Photographed on small digital cameras we were able to film everywhere and anywhere we wanted without much hassle from the authorities. Independent cinema in the truest sense of the word "independent." The film is currently going through the sound design and ADR stage. We look forward to a premiere in early 2012." - The IMDb page was recently updated to exclude Ximena from the cast
- Main thread
Boiling Death Request (2008)
- "Boiling Death Request is more of a music film. There was film taken from my tours in Europe, but mixed in with some documentation of my compound where I live, the centre of energy. It's where I film, it's where I rehearse, it's also where I do everything. [Boiling Death Request] also has a narrative inside it, which I call “the failed film.” It also has abstract pieces of [pure] imagery, so I don't know how to define this film, but its centre force is music."
La Venganza de los Labios Extranjeros (2009)
- According to this interview, Omar was planning to start working on this film in August 2009
- Adam Thomson said that he has never heard of this film, so it's likely that it was just an idea for a film that Omar scrapped (or it could've turned into Los Chidos)
Los Chidos (2010)
- Filmed in Guadalajara, Mexico in May and June 2010
- Premiered at SXSW in 2012
- First film that Omar didn't score himself
- Dark comedy/Ensemble
- "Set amid the noisy outskirts of some unnamed Mexican metropolis, Los Chidos tells the story of the Gonzales Family. Shady proprietors of a tire repair junkyard sandwiched between two busy freeways, the Gonzales clan's days are spent wallowing in lazy, mindless routine. Barely able to converse without resorting to misogyny and homophobia, the six of them pass the time glued to a decrepit television and stuffing their faces with tacos, preying on the occasional unlucky motorist. When a confused American industrialist happens into the shop with a flat tire, the family's place in the shame-free food chain is called into question. With his vehicle "out" for repairs indefinitely, a strange scenario unfolds whereby the pale stranger finds himself welcomed into their unpleasant fold. To complicate matters, he soon becomes infatuated with the newlywed bride of the family's neighbor. As a new love blossoms, dark secrets begin emerging, and both the family and their guest are in for some surprises. Los Chidos is at once both delightfully funny and desperately depraved; a satirical, sociopolitical commentary on the dynamic relationships between exploiter and exploited."
- Stars Kim Stodel, Maimuna Achleitner Jiménez, Bruno Champiz, Cecilia Guitiérrez, Erasmo Rodríguez, Manuel Ramos, María de Jesús Canales Ramírez, Alejandro Rodríguez, and Mónica Guzmán
- Trailer
- Poster
- Stills
- Main thread
Sharks in the Gene Pool (2013)
- Originally known as Niño y la Esperanza
- The original plot synopsis included with the casting call was: "Niño y la Esperanza is the story of a family torn between following their dreams and the strange circumstances that befall them. Niño y Esperanza must learn how to take care of each other after their parents are infected with a manmade disease." According to this interview, however, this is not the real plot.
- "It is a typical barrio film, and we decided to turn it upside down."
- "Ninety-seven to ninety-eight percent is filmed at night," he said. "It represents metaphors about choosing to find the light. No one is going to hand God to you. You have to decide for yourself." - Omar explaining the theme of the film
- Omar anticipates that this will be a bit longer than his previous films
- He plans to have the film completed by April
- Written by Ramon Villa-Hernandez (who played Oscar in TSES)
- Casting call
- Main thread
Maria Follows a Cat to the Tap (2015)
