TIFF 2022 Women Directors: Meet Aitch Alberto – “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe”

Aitch Alberto is a writer and director born and raised in Miami, Florida. She is a Sundance Episodic Lab fellow, the recipient of a Skowhegan Artist Residency, a Yaddo fellowship, and a Latino Screenwriting Project Fellowship, and an alumnus of the Outfest Screenwriting Lab. Alberto served as a writer on AppleTV+’s BAFTA and Film Independent-nominated anthology series “Little America” and has been included on The Black List’s inaugural Latinx List as well as NALIP’s Latinx Directors You Should Know list. She has most recently been featured on Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch for 2022 and Indiewire’s 22 Rising Female Filmmakers to Watch in 2022.

“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” is screening at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, which is running from September 8-18.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

AA: Our film, to me, is an epic journey of two outsiders that find a certain recognition in each other that unlocks something that allows them to see themselves and the world around them differently and in turn, allows themselves to discover the secrets of the universe.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

AA: What drew me to this story was the tenderness, the lyrical writing in the book [the film is based upon], and the potential to place a compassionate and empathetic gaze on a community and a story that is often presented as violent or misunderstood. And that was what was most exciting. It unlocked something in me that no other piece of writing ever has and still hasn’t.

W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?

AA: I would love people to walk away from the film believing that love could come in unexpected ways, in unexpected places, and in unexpected forms — understanding that is truly discovering the secrets of the universe.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

AA: I think the biggest challenge in making the film was getting it made, period. A story about two brown boys, directed by a Latina, is not something that is necessarily a priority for Hollywood, or at least it wasn’t. But, I know, everyone deserves to be represented on screen and even more so behind the camera. It required resilience and persistence but I was up for the challenge and will continue to be. But the production was absolutely magical. It’s often said that indie movies are a labor of love; this was a labor of passion that attracted a lot of love. So I think getting to the starting line was probably the most challenging part. But once we were there, it was magic.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

AA: That was a long, painful journey. It took me almost eight years to get to this point and be able to share this film with the world. There were a lot of false starts, there were other directors attached. But finally, I think the world was ready to have a place for this and we found the right partners in our financiers over at Limelight.

I also like to joke and say that the “Latinx mafia,” embodied in the greatness and generosity of producer Lin-Manuel [Miranda], star Eva [Longoria], and producer-star Eugenio [Derbez] showing up for me and this story, is a big reason why the movie got made. But here we are, and I’m excited to share the film with everyone. 

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker? 

AA: Simply the need, or better yet, the lack of people like me telling stories about people like me. And I think maybe it’s a little narcissism, but I felt really impassioned and I had an undeniable drive and confidence to be at the forefront of telling stories about people that are often misrepresented. And I think having lived these experiences myself, I could come at it with a more gentle lens.

Ultimately, to tell stories that are not solely fueled by our identity but move beyond that.

W&H: What’s the worst advice you’ve received?

AA: The worst advice that I’ve ever received was to [capitulate] to what people need vs. what you want to do. And I think that’s awful advice because it invites someone to lose their voice, to doubt their instincts, and often dim their light. I refuse. That experience [confirmed you should] not wait for permission because no one’s going to come and save you. No one’s going to come and do it for you, [much less] give you permission to do it. So you got to make room for yourself.

W&H: What advice do you have for other women and nonbinary directors? 

AA: The advice that I would give women and non-binary folks who are aspiring to direct is: you need a whole lot of delusional confidence, and never wait for permission.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

AA: This is difficult to answer. I think there’s a very long list. I’d probably say that “The Virgin Suicides” by Sofia Coppola really inspired me and influenced my own directing. I thought there was such an ethereal quality to her work, to all of her work, but “The Virgin Suicides” really executed all of it perfectly.

I also was very inspired by Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank” as well — she is a phenomenal director that I draw a lot of inspiration from. Of course, Lucrecia Martel’s “La Ciénega,” Patricia Cardoso, or anything by Zackary Drucker. 

W&H: What, if any, responsibilities do you think storytellers have to confront the tumult in the world, from the pandemic to the loss of abortion rights and systemic violence?

AA: I think since we’re currently living through a lot of this trauma, it’s existing in our world today, I find film to be an escape from all of that which is most important for me, and it’s how I escaped my own trauma. So I personally try to stay away from things that feel like trauma porn or are still so close to what we’re experiencing now. I often find comfort in things that let me forget a little bit about the pain. But I also think there’s something really beautiful about finding stories that subvert those messages in an empowering way.

W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color on screen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make Hollywood and/or the doc world more inclusive?

AA: Hollywood is a fear-based industry that’s scared to challenge its perception of what’s already been told and what’s already been done and give people the opportunity to take risks. But again, there’s not anything that anyone could do right away.

I think it takes a lot of work and people like me and other female and nonbinary directors to continue to fight and tell stories that feel important to them, first and foremost. That is how change happens, people often fear what they don’t know, but if you invite them in, and find the universal access point, that is how you change someone’s heart and mind. I also think change happens when we engage in a dialogue and when we listen to each other.