“In Tow” features the story of a teenager and her single mother confronting their differences as their mobile home is repossessed with the two of them inside of it.
Director and Writer of “In Tow” Sharon Arteaga expressed that creating the film was an immense challenge, despite the fatigue that accompanied the process, she believed that the end product was worth the effort.
“We wanted to challenge ourselves, creatively, artistically and logistically too,” Arteaga said. “Most of my team never have not made a film of this size, and because we’ve challenged ourselves so much. I would say the experience. It was a growing experience, it was also an exhausting experience, but it’s crazy to see that this challenging film came to life. “
The leading actress in the film Katy Atkinson, said she encountered some difficulties while trying to stay in character. However, she was able to overcome the challenge thanks to her valuable experience.
“My experience was trying to stay focused,” Atkinson said. “I know that at the Edinburgh Film Festival, Sandy who plays my mom, she mentioned ‘try to stay focused while everyone was so
happy on set’ was one of the hardest things to do, and trying to focus on homing in on the appropriate emotions that I am supposed to be feeling was challenge for me, this is the biggest set that I’ve ever worked on.”
Arteaga expressed that her inspiration for the short film comes from childhood. She remembers constantly switching through homes and all of that came back to her in 2019 when she was writing the first draft.
“I grow up on mobile homes in South Texas, in the outskirts of Corpus Christi.” Arteaga said. “And growing up there was a lot of like financial instability that led us to lose our home a couple of times, specially through my senior year high school. I just remember looking back at that time, or like in that time, I was sometime really frustrated with my parents. Realizing now with my adult perspective my mom, my parent were trying the best that they could and giving us the best that we could have it, in that time.
Atkinson expressed that she encountered a similar situation to Arteaga.
“Honestly, I relate to Sharon a lot, “Atkinson said. “I grew up in a mobile home myself when I was young and then my family was fortunate enough to buy some land from a friend, who gave it to them at a really good friend-discount price and then we move to our home. But the relationship between Sheila and Bonnie is a very relatable relationship”
With a big premise as the film has, Arteaga expressed that she prefers it to be a short film due to her love for them, with “In Tow” lasting 21 minutes, she added that she is in love with the format. As a result of that same love, “In Tow” won the Grand Jury Award at the South Texas International Film Festival.
As an RGV native from Los Fresnos, Atkinson expressed that she feels honored as she is one of the few that got to go out and explore and not settle with a 9 -5 job.
She also is opening her own studio on the lower valley, where people from all ranges of ages could learn basic techniques of acting.
“I want to be able to bring that back into the community and so I am opening up my own acting studio in Harlingen called Sandbox Acting Studio.” she said. “In hopes that the younger and even the older generation, people that never felt that they could do it, they can do it .
For future screening and updates on the film visit their Instagram @intowshortfilm
This is Fernanda Gonzales for Vaquero Radio.
