Filmmaker and photographer @EsterGMera finds inspiration in music, cinema, painting, and in the hybridizations between words and images. Some of her aesthetic references include David Cronenberg, Japanese animation, the music of Oklou, horror cinema, witchcraft, and Galician fog.
Ester advocates for a stronger presence of young voices in the industry, especially women. Among her work are audiovisual pieces for the Ministry of Equality, Music Makers for CaixaForum+, music videos for international artists, creations for local fashion brands, and projects for companies such as Isdin and Zalando.
Where would you say your vocation comes from?
During my teenage years, I realized that what I loved so much—watching films—could also become a profession.
Many film students also find a logical path in advertising.
Yes, advertising allows you to explore and be creative, and it’s more viable than making films; it offers more financial stability, within the inherent precariousness of the profession. In advertising, you can experiment and then apply it to other fields that interest you. In ten years, I would like to have directed a fiction piece, whether a short film or a feature. I’d also like to stay close to the fashion world through fashion films. The visual language used to sell clothing, perfumes, or accessories can be very interesting once transferred into fiction.
Were you familiar with Moritz Feed Doc?
Yes, I remember, for example, the documentaries about Twiggy, McQueen, or Galliano, and I also knew the festival through In-Edit, where I presented a project (Music Makers). I like the documentary format because archive material and found footage carry weight in it—a resource I use a lot when editing.
Does anyone in your family work in audiovisuals or fashion?
I’d say my passion comes more from the hours I spent watching films and hundreds of music videos on MTV. Artists and bands have always expressed themselves through clothing to create a character and convey their message. This mix of image, music, and fashion fascinates me. For example, The Neon Demon by Nicolas Winding Refn. It has everything: models, horror, mutation, delirium, stunning cinematography, shots that look like a fashion editorial. It’s more aesthetic than narrative.
Thank you very much for being one of the Moritz Feed Doc Talents on the festival’s tenth anniversary.
It’s a great initiative to popularize fashion documentaries; it helps remind audiences that it’s an industry that is neither superficial nor ephemeral, but one that leaves a social imprint and a cultural archive. Sustainability must be on the table—it’s unavoidable—but if we manage to spark interest in the more artistic and creative side of fashion, we can begin to shift the narrative.
