Astrid Ovalles, Delivers a Slice of Kinky in Road of Bygones
Updated: Aug 23, 2022
Astrid Ovalles is pushing the boundaries with her latest film, Road of Bygones. We had the pleasure of talking with her about film making and what inspired her to write, direct and star in this, as she calls it, "slice of life."
When did you decide to settle in New York?
It was about 13 years ago, I put my stuff in a U-Haul truck and drove with my dog to New York. I had big dreams. I met a very nice young lady in Washington Heights, and she helped me get settled and find a job and I knew there was no way I was going anywhere else. This is my home; I’m in love with this city.
When did you first fall in love with acting?
I started by watching movies with my mom, we were very close and that was one of the things we always did together. Then I used dream about playing all these different characters, villains and superheroes.
What do you prefer being in front of, or behind the camera?
I prefer being in front of the camera, I love portraying different people, I enjoy exploring characters, getting to know a different person, which in turn means you get to know a different side of yourself. You delve into humanity and understand human conditions. I think performing is beautiful, I find it cathartic. I do love directing and writing but it’s acting that is the top for me.
Which women in film inspired you the most?
I have so many! Mainstream, I love Glenn Close and Catherine Zeta-Jones, I have so many heroes, lately I’ve been enjoying Helen Mirren’s work a lot and there are a lot of indie women in film I admire also.
What inspired you to write Road of Bygones?
With this film I did put social justice before art and that doesn’t mean I neglected art, but I did want to address the DS community, dominating and submission, the kinks community, the BS community and the BDSM community. I did have to get a little political with my art but sometimes you have to, to bring about change. So, with this film I wanted to speak for our relationship and for other people who are kinky. I do stress that only when a woman consents to be submissive in a relationship is it okay, how she obtains pleasure and happiness should be her choice. I think so many people think that by being submissive that it is anti-feminist, but I think that is absolutely erroneous and we have to change the way we treat women who have certain desires. The fulfillment of a woman should be up to her. It was important to me to cover DS couples in the film, I didn’t want it to be too political, so I made it a fun, dark comedy. I strongly believe equality is about having the freedom to choose and women should be able to choose what brings them pleasure and fulfillment. Visibility in the media is important, that’s what brings about change.
Tell us more about the characterization in Road of Bygones?
I wanted to make a fun movie about different kinds of relationships, I love French films and have been obsessed with films about uncanny relationships. So, the relationship between the sisters came about when Oriana and I were doing a scene, we had an odd chemistry, this was about 10 years ago, and ever since we did that scene together, it just stuck with me. I wanted to expand upon that chemistry we had, so I wrote it into the script and gave it more layers. I wanted it to be fun and sad at times and I definitely wanted it to be based on humanity and the journey of the characters within themselves. I call it a slice of life.
Your wife Sarah is in the film, was that the first time you worked together? How do you enjoy working together?
She is a very talented singer, I met her while I was working on Camp Belvidere and immediately fell in love with her voice, so I asked her to sing on the soundtrack. As a married couple working together was really fantastic, we are best friends and have everything in common, and we support each other tremendously. I absolutely admire everything she does, and she admires everything I do. We worked on every element of the film together, from costumes and set design to craft services and it was such a fun process.
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in making Road of Bygones?
Raising funds for the film, I had to work a lot while I was making the movie to be able to pay for it and we did have the help of Dolores Juliano and Scharlene Koeber, they are executive producers but about 80% of the cost we funded ourselves just by going to work. That’s the way it is for indie-film, women don’t get funded as much as men do.
You obviously have a real love for all the arts, which absorbs you the most?
Film for sure! I was born a painter, I’ve been painting since I was a kid, so that is something I do in my own time. But film is very challenging, it’s changed a lot with the digital age and indie films, even in the last 5 or 6 years. I find it really satisfying to reach an audience directly and be able to communicate with the audience and get feedback right away. You change with the times, film is collaborative, you have visuals, you have sound, costumes and all kinds of technicians and all kinds of artistry. Film has everything I love in it.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Take your time! I’m still giving myself that advice, actually I’m taking it now. I get so excited to do things and I rush them, so I would tell myself, slow down, take your time, do more research and then do it again.
If you could work with any woman in the film industry, in front of or behind the camera, who would you choose and why?
Lately I’ve been really loving what Natasha Lyonne is doing, Russian Doll was so very her, I watched the show 3 times in a row. I love her writing, I thought it was brilliant and I love how unique it was and women loved it. And Brit Marley who did The OA show. That would be a dream for me because I love the fact, they do things on their own terms.
What can we look forward to seeing from you next?
I’m working on a dystopian fantasy, romance, I don’t want to say anything about the plot, I am working with another writer Cara Kilduff, I’m very happy she is going to be brainstorming with me. We are going to be filming over the span of a year. It will be a lesbian drama fantasy taking place in another time. I think we are doing something really unique and I don’t want to give it away!
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us at theLexperience today Astrid, it has been such a pleasure!
I think what you are doing on theLexperience is so important, creating a community where it is collaborative and that’s why I’m so happy to be talking to you, I’m really in line with that it’s about, building each other up and making our community stronger, I love what you are doing.
Road of Bygones will be released on Amazon March 15th.
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For more information please visit Astrid Ovalles Official Website
All photographs courtesy of Astrid Ovalles
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