David Mendizábal

March 9, 2022

Season: 2020/21

They say that every seven years we essentially become new people, because in that time, every old cell in our body has been replaced by a new cell through a process known as autophagy.

Autophagy literally translates to “self-eating”, which got me thinking:

What are the parts of myself, or ideas I’ve held onto that I would eat away if I could? What would I replace those ideas with?

Over the past year of deep self-reflection and throughout this residency, I’ve been working on a project called eat me!, a cinematic ritual towards self-actualization and growth. Inspired by an Ecuadorian ritual of preparing and eating “guaguas de pan” or bread babies, as a way to mourn those we’ve lost, this short film is both a release and a rebirth. It’s an examination of the relationship between creation and destruction, a return to a creative process, and a move beyond my comfort zones towards a celebration of self-love.

-David Mendizábal

Created & Directed by David Mendizábal

Edited by Yee Eun Nam

Original Music & Sound Design by Mauricio Escamilla

Dramaturgy by Alexandra Meda

Animation by Jeromy Velasco

Costume Design by David Mendizábal

Hair by Jeffrey Bautista

Makeup by Sterling Tull

Art Direction by Darrin George

Videography by Neville Braithwaite