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Ajar
FILM PRODUCTIONS
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"We focus on storytelling, on capturing emotions, fleeting moments, feelings, and thereby provide an indelible impression for all to revisit. It is a cinematic style and aesthetic philosophy that resonates with all our clients and makes each film unique and meaningful.”
Each and every film means something to us. It's not only what we do but why we do it - this is our essence."
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About The Founders
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Cynthia Cazanas Garin
Director / Producer
Cynthia has over 10 years of experience in film directing and cinematography. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Media Art from Emerson College and a Bachelor's in Film, Radio and Television from the University of Arts in Havana, Cuba. She is currently a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Directing and Producing at the University of Colorado in Denver.
Her creative work is informed by personal and social issues such as immigration, racism, identity, and professional fulfillment. Her documentary "Natural Selection" (2016) raised public awareness about animal abuse and contributed to the first animal-welfare law in Cuba.
As a cinematographer for the short film La Huida (2018), Cynthia ventured into stop-motion animation. “La Huida” combines puppet and cutout animation, which allowed her to experiment with silhouette animation, inspired by Lotte Reiniger's work.
Cynthia directed a film noir titled “The Implausible” (2021), which was a Silver Remi Award recipient at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, a Best First Time Filmmaker Nominee at the Cannes Shorts and a finalist for Best Cinematography New York Istanbul Short Film Festival.
Cazanas was a Preproduction Co-Director in “When Colorado Went Major League” (2023) a feature-length documentary about the history and legacy of the Colorado Rockies, the first Major League team in the Rocky Mountain region.
Her latest documentary “Fábrica de Arte Américas” (2024), which aired on Rocky Mountain PBS, highlights the unifying effect art has across cultures.
Cynthia is writer and director of two ongoing projects - the feature-length documentary “What’s a Cuban Doing in Colorado?” and a half-hour documentary on the Prison Trained K-9 Program in partnership with the Film Office, the Lieutenant Governor’s office and the Department of Corrections in Colorado.
Pablo A Perez
Director of Photography
Pablo has over 14 years of experience in the field of cinematography and has an FAA certification for aerial cinematography. He has worked alongside several renowned film directors from Cuba and around the world, including Alejandro Perez, Alfredo Ureta, Manuel Herrera and Ernesto Daranas.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Financial Management and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Technological University of Havana.
Pablo was the Director of Photography for film noir “The Implausible” (2021), which was a Silver Remi Award recipient at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, a Best First Time Filmmaker Nominee at the Cannes Shorts and a finalist for Best Cinematography New York Istanbul Short Film Festival.
As a film instructor at the University of Colorado Denver and cinematographer, Pablo has brought his students to work on professional film sets such as the film “Fabrica de Arte Americas,” a half-hour documentary that celebrates art from across the Americas.
Pablo was also the cinematographer for a series of PSAs on the Small Business Learning Management System (2023) for the Office of Economic Development and International Trade of the State of Colorado.
Jessica is an experienced film editor for documentaries, commercials, PSAs and live events. As one of the founders of Ajar Film Production, she has collaborated multiple times with the Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media in the production of documentaries highlighting statewide policies and initiatives in the areas of arts, culture, small business, and economy. Her films have a national and international outreach, in platforms like Rocky Mountain PBS and film festivals.
Jessica edited the film "Fábrica de Arte Américas" (2023), which was recently selected among hundreds of submissions for the 30th San Antonio Film Festival in Texas.
Jessica Cazanas Garin
Editor
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