With several audiovisual productions to her name, lecturer Anna Escurriola from the Faculty of Communication Sciences has released her first short titled Cuatro Treinta (‘Four thirty’), which depicts the stigma faced by people suffering from skin disorders, based on personal experiences.

The short tells the story of a young woman with a genetic skin condition who is starting a new treatment with the hope of leading a ‘normal’ life and fitting in.  The procedure, however, ends up having such a significant physical and emotional impact that she wonders whether she has made the right choice.

Escurriola, who suffers from psoriasis, explains how the script depicts some of the “instances of discrimination” she has suffered over the course of her life and advocates just how important this project is: “The aim of this short is to highlight and raise awareness about skin disorders and everything they entail, to effect empathy and put a positive spin on the universal feeling of being different”.

“A challenge in every sense of the word”

The short was filmed between 4 and 8 September is currently being edited.  “The pandemic has made filming difficult and slowed down the process of finding sponsors”, explained the lecturer from the Faculty, who hopes the short will be finished and ready for release before Christmas.

Anna Escurriola says that managing this project is proving to be a “challenge in every sense of the word”, not only in terms of directing over 20 team members, but also due to her emotional connection with the story. She has also seized the opportunity presented by this venture to promote the role of female professionals in the audiovisual sector, opting for a "predominantly female" production crew.

Anyone interested in supporting the film by making a donation can do so via this link.