Marina Mónaco on 'Kids' — A Memory of Self-Reflection and Youth
★ interview by Abby Strangward ★
Approximately 2 and a half months ago, we premiered KIDS — a short film by Marina Monaco, and one of the most beautiful pieces of art we’ve had the pleasure of sharing on our platform. If you missed it, the premiere and artist statement is here, and the video is here:
Now, we’re revisiting the project with an in-depth interview with Marina, discussing the process of filming KIDS, her hometown of Buenos Aires, youth culture in art, and the exhilaration of sharing something so personal with the world. She also shares a full gallery from the project — behind the scenes photos from the three days of filming, as she chased teens around Buenos Aires with cameras in-hand. Get lost in her world.
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For those who might not have seen the premiere or even the film yet, can you explain what it is, and how it came about?
Kids is an experimental short film that was shot in three different days, in which a group of 14 friends aged between 18 and 22 are hanging out. Kids is almost a documentary because it has no script or actors — we improvised. I just went with my camera to document everything they were doing, trying not to manipulate their actions. It’s a memory and self-reflection of youth.
Were you friends with the featured group before making the film?
Before shooting, Pali — the only one I knew — invited me to an underground party where I got to know one of the boys through his live music. In the basement, I found myself dancing to techno with them, and I knew something good was coming. Every day after filming, the kids invited me to hang out, making me feel like a part of the group. Now, I've grown close to a few of them and even now attend parties and events with them.
KIDS Cast
Tell us a bit about Buenos Aires. How would you describe the city's youth culture?
Buenos Aires is a really cool city for young people, as there is always something going on, especially on the weekends. If you know where to go, the nightlife scene can be really interesting. There are raves in cultural places where young electronic DJs play for hours and hours on end. Our whole community supports young local artists through many cultural events related to all kinds of art, music, cinema, sculpture, music, photography, etc.
The sad part is that our economy is shit and the city can be dangerous, so we complain about the broken system. But I suppose it’s like that almost everywhere.
The film is completely improvised — no actors, no scripts. Was that always the plan from the start? Were you ever tempted to manipulate what was happening in front of you, or did everything flow naturally?
Yes, it was my idea from the beginning. At that moment, I wanted to start directing, but I didn’t know what stories to tell. So I had the idea of just documenting something that already existed and was authentic to real life (this is how my Kids photography series started too). Of course, sometimes I had to tell the kids what to do with simple actions like: look here, start walking that way, come here. But besides that, the conversations and random actions were 100% real.
"I just went with my camera to document everything they were doing, trying not to manipulate their actions.”
Did you have an idea of what you wanted to create walking into the film, or was it more of an open process, taking shape around the weekend as it unfolded?
It was definitely an open process. I spent several months trying to find a structure, which was difficult because I had to coordinate it all myself. There was a lot of material without any script, so I had to create the whole idea. During the post-production process, I went back and forth between loving it and hating it. (Laughs) it was tough.
What was it like getting to know the group you were following around? How did you candidly blend into these moments?
Well, I’ve always been a really shy person, but 2019 was the year that all changed. I started to be more confident in myself and my work, and — as an act of self-love — I left behind a toxic relationship, which made me eager to meet new people.
I think it was easy, because they are unique people, and we share the same “codes” because we are close in age.
Tell us some stories about the weekend you filmed it. I remember you saying things like you’d be holding 4 cameras at once — crazy! And you had friends come and help you out on different days, too?
Yes! I wish I had more behind-the-scenes pictures because it was insane. Not only did I shoot the short film, but I also had to shoot all the film pictures.
The film was shot in 3 days. The first day, I was on my own and went to Eze’s house. The day after, we met at the skatepark with the 14 kids, and luckily an assistant came to hold my cameras because I was scared of missing some moments if I spent a lot of time changing cameras on my own. On the third day, my talented friend & filmmaker Fede Cabred came and helped me make smooth shots since he was more experienced. It was fucking crazy.
“Maybe, while you watch this short film, you'll feel seen and nostalgic for lives that you didn't even live. Maybe you'll remember someone that lived inside you that already grew and transformed themself.”
‘Youth’ is a concept explored a thousand times over through art, and yet you’ve brought the most beautiful, exhilarating new perspective and style to documenting it. What made you want to create a film around simply the concept of Kids?
I picked the name Kids because the group reminded me of the kids you see in ’90s coming-of-age movies. Youth culture inspires nostalgia and melancholia. I love combining that with the cinematic perspective of my work, capturing moments, and real relationships. I like to stay close to the things that remind me of that feeling: nostalgia.
Where do you find the most inspiration?
Music and cinema, definitely. And my own experiences too. My photography has a lot of meaning behind it — focusing on different people, different cultures, and different ways of thinking. To be able to photograph someone you need to connect before, and while it can be hard for me — a shy girl — I'm really grateful that it has allowed me to meet many amazing people.
I remember in the days leading up to the release, you were incredibly nervous. How much did this project mean to you? And what was it like finally sharing it with the world?
Yes! Do you remember how nervous I was? I’m really insecure about my work, and I spent so much time editing it that when I finished the film, I hated it. But it was because I had watched it too many times and I was really embarrassed about using my voice trying to speak in English.
But after the premiere, my Instagram exploded — literally. Lots of beautiful and supportive messages, a lot of people told me they cried! It was amazing.
What are you hoping people might be feeling and thinking as they watch? Did you expect the overwhelmingly positive reaction it gained?
“Maybe, while you watch this short film, you'll feel seen and nostalgic for lives that you didn't even live. Maybe you'll remember someone that lived inside you that already grew and transformed themself. You'll remember the good times and the people you loved.”
I think this was my main message: to remember those good memories while you are young. I didn’t expect such a positive reaction, and after that, I became more confident about what I want to say in the future. So, thank you for supporting young artists <3 It was amazing to premiere Kids with Pure Nowhere!
