Eduardo Santiago returns to Idyllwild with IIFC film

One of the films nominated for Best Feature at this year’s Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema (IIFC) is “Proof Sheet.” Aside from its artistic merits, (11 nominations), one unique aspect of this film is Eduardo Santiago, who co-wrote the screenplay with Richard Kilroy, is a former Idyllwild resident.

He lived here in the 2010s, while writing and also teaching creative writing at the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Now he’s teaching creative writing at the University of California, Los Angeles extension program.

He was born in Cuba and about 50 years ago. His family emigrated to the U.S. and settled in the Los Angeles area. His father collected discarded books, sometimes without covers, for him to read. Not only did he learn English reading these books, but the writing seed was planted.

He has written two novels, “Tomorrow They Will Kiss” and “Midnight Rumba.” The latter involves the connection of three families during the 10 years leading up to the Cuban Revolution.

But loving books is not sufficient motivation to write them, Santiago confirmed. During his years of creative writing instruction, he has encountered and taught many individuals.

“I’ve seen the difference between someone who wants to write because they love to read and those meant to write,” he acknowledged. Before his first novel, he often dreamed of writing it, but his job and life never provided the opportunity for it.

And that became his motivation. “I couldn’t find time,” he said. “When circumstances keep you from doing something that your soul is crying to do, you need to go the races.” He left his full-time job, sold his house, began writing and produced a first draft within a year.

“My life changed completely,” he said proudly.

“Proof Sheet” is his first screen play. He and Richard Kilroy, his co-writer, met at an LA gym. “He’s kind and open hearted,” Santiago said describing Kilroy, who had an idea for a screenplay and wanted to discuss it.

“I went to see an evening of spoken word with several writers reading their stories, among them, Eduardo,” Kilroy wrote in an email. “It was Eduardo’s gift for humor and humanity that made me want to collaborate with him on a script I had been outlining.”

And the team was formed and created “Proof Sheet.”

“I like collaborating when writing a screenplay,” Santiago said. “It’s more fun bouncing ideas off each other. With a novel, you can only bounce ideas off the wall!”

“Proof Sheet” sprouts from the mystery genre. A photo lab worker cleaning up after closing discovers a roll of film in the drop box marked “Rush.” The prints are of a woman being attacked in an apartment.

The Film Threat website describes “Proof Sheet” as neo-noir. “It starts with a sad sack of a private investigator, … smitten with the femme fatale, … who begs for his help, [and] this amateur investigator starts stirring up trouble, he quickly finds himself in over his head.”

“Proof Sheet” has already received 11 award nominations at the IIFC. It was an honorable mention at the Best in London Film Festival and received three nominations at the North Hollywood Cinefest — Best Picture, Director and Actor. Leo Llenas, who plays the novice detective, won the Best Actor award at North Hollywood.

When asked if he had much opportunity to assist in the casting, Santiago said there were moments. Since this was his first film, he discovered casting is not always about “who you want or don’t want, but who can you get.”

He did see many audition tapes. He was a firm advocate for Allene Quincy, who plays “Skinny” and was impressed by Llenas’ work. “He’s a phenomenal guy, playing Angel.” according to Santiago.

And Kilroy added, “I’m very proud of Leo and considering that this is his first acting work ever, I’m continually impressed with his range and depth of feeling. He has a big career ahead of him.”

Since Kilroy was the director as well as co-writer, Santiago was seldom seen on the set during filming. They sent him film cuts to review. “But nobody on the set knew me,” he confessed. As the filming finished and everybody was invited for the final moments, he recalled a Nora Ephron quote to describe his situation, “Screen writers are like wallflowers at an orgy.”

After 10 years, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, he moved back to Los Angeles. Our house sold in three days and we had to move out in 10 days. There was very little time to say goodbye to our friends and acquaintances.

And now he is working on another screenplay. But this effort is alone and sometimes harder. It eventually becomes collaborative, he admitted. He uses a critique group, who offer their comments, and he weighs in on their work.

Santiago admits, “You can take the boy out of Idyllwild, but you can’t take Idyllwild out of the boy.”

This work, “Kill me Twice,” is set in Idyllwild. He envisions a 10-episode series.

“It features people I know and thought were interesting,” he said. Its inspiration was an Idyllwild Rotary Club meeting. That morning’s speaker was female and very knowledgeable in the practice of nontraditional medicine.

He is looking forward to visiting Idyllwild, and seeing and talking with many of the folk whom he knew here. But this was not his initial reaction when he heard about the status of “Proof Sheet’s” submission to the IIFC.