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MERCURIAL is an experimental film based on an original full length concept in the works for 2014 called, Divine Animals. The multilayer premises surrounds the rightful kidnapping of a child.
Mercurial was made possible because everyone involved (shown below) volunteered their time, talents and personal resources to transform a 10 page script into a movie.
It's a great privilege to be able to lead a creative life and make films. I'm grateful to my creative team for their trust and willingness to explore the mysterious characters of Mercurial with me. The film was made with a little pocket money, a few home cooked meals and a necessity to make films!
I would like to introduce you to my team and share a few personal insights on each of them.
Thank you! -Sasha
 JARED RINALDI - ActorAfter working with Jared on previous other films, we began to have a short hand in our collaboration. He's an actor who works best when he's in the moment. I admire his desires in wanting to keep the scenes fresh and alive |  MARIYA SOMOVA - ProducerThe first time I met Mariya was when she attended a screening of one of my other films: Into The Night. I placed a random ad on cragslist looking for a director's assistant and serendipitously, Mariya was the 2nd person to respond. We met for coffee, she told me about the feature film she just finished directing and I felt she would be instrumental in helping me get Mercurial made. She was supportive every step of the way and gave constructive feedback to the actors. |  LARA WOLF - ActorDuring the audition process, I attempted to do something different. I asked 5 qualified actresses who were all reading for the same role to meet me at a rehearsal studio on 14th street for at least 1 hour, at the same exact time. Sounds like trouble? Lara was among the first to arrive, we shook hands and I instantly knew she was going to be Jolene. After a 3 hour role reversal audition, I remained convinced of my initial instinct. Seven months later, I'm still convinced she was the right pick! |
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 SASHA BURGOS-CONDE - ActorThis Borinqueña has a talent for creative improv in the heat of the moment. With an intriguing ability to flip the script and be convincing, I sincerely look forward to working more with Sasha BC in the future. |  GIGI CAPPETTA - ActorA young lady with the makings of a leading lady. Gigi was a delightful actress to work with. She was patient and followed direction to the T. Her best quality on set was how she supported her fellow actors. |  K'SANDRA SAMPSON - ActorShe arrived to the set on time with easy going willingness to get down to business. She may not have know the exact physical extent of what her character had to do, but she soon realized it wasn't just a walk in the park. K'Sandra proved to be a good sport and pushed her performance as far as we needed it to go. |
 DANIEL BAVOLACK - ActorThis man is spirited in ways some young men wish they were. Out of all the hair-brain ideas I've asked him to take part in, he's never said no to me. I'm grateful to call Daniel more than just a freind, but a playmate. I think I've discovered his secret to healthy longevity: always remain curious. |  COURTNEY BUNBURY - ActorThe kind of person you want to see running around the corner to come to your rescue. Courtney was cast just a couple days before we had to shoot. Courteous and completely involved in the creative process, Courtney's disciple is to get things done as well as possible. |  WALTER VINCENT - ActorHe came into audition for Super Dougy. At first, I didn't think he was a real actor. I thought he was some tough guy from Staten Island who wanted to give acting a try. But then I was impressed with how well he took direction. He was moldable and aware of his range. I think Walter is exactly the kind of actor directors love working with. |
 KATE SZEKELY, PEDRO JIMÉNEZ & MEGANIt's bittersweet to mention how Kate, Pedro and Megan were important to the filmmaking process of Mercurial because their scenes were regretfully cut from the film's final cut. All for different reasons. Nevertheless, their involvement was instrumental in the process and their commitment and efforts are greatly appreciated. |  SASHA SANTIAGO - DirectorAs a filmmaker, I'm consistently thinking of new ways film can be designed and experienced in this era of super abundance. It's with small films like Mercurial that give me an opportunity to work with new talent and quickly lay out the ground to continue building up ideas of how films can be made and shared. I believe the key is to unleash storytelling across multiple platforms, create a new form of discovery and build a sustainable community of real collaborators. Thanks for your support. |
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