I began my filmmaking journey in July 2003 with a feature length documentary currently in post-production titled “Into the Border”. Soon after, I continued my exploration of the border theme with my very first narrative film, "El Trafico", an award winning short film, which premiered at the 2004 Filmstock International Film Festival in the UK and was exhibited at the 2005 Scottsdale International Film Festival and the 5th annual Phoenix International Film Festival. "El Trafico" won Best of Show, Best Dramatic Short, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, and 2nd place for Sound Design and Editing at the 24th annual SCC MP/TV Film Festival in Phoenix. I have since directed other shorts films such as "Pecan Run", and "OnceUpon a Time in the Desert", as well as an award winning music video for Tim McDonald’s Broken Poets, an up-and-coming alternative rock band based in Tempe, Arizona.
I'm a fellow of the 2006 writers lab of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), where my first feature length screenplay, "86", was selected for development with the support of industry professionals. "86" was also selected into the prestigious NALIP Producers Academy for 2006. Most recently, my second feature film project, based on the recently acquired novel, “How to Cope with Suburban Stress”, was selected for support in the 2007 NALIP Writers Lab.
Modeled after the Sundance writers and feature film labs, the NALIP writers lab and Producers Academy are important programs, sponsored and supported by HBO, Time Warner, MTV Networks, ABC/Walt Disney New Talent Development Program, FOX, Cox Communications, UCLA, ASU, UofA, the Academy Foundation, POV, HFPA Hollywood Foreign PressAssociation, the Ford Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the WGA East/West. Finally, my first feature film screenplay,"86", has been selected for final consideration into the Sundance Writing Lab, 2007.
I attended Arizona State University where I majored in Aerospace Engineering, History, and Applied Mathematics. I also hold a B.S. in Business from Western International University. I admit to being a life long student, having accumulated well over 500 college credits since 1982 - sick, huh?. I recently took on the study of human and cultural anthropology, believing that the best stories can be told from a combination of life experiences and a profound understanding of human nature.
Learn more about this project at www.onceuponatimedesert.com
To learn more about Marco's other projects, visit www.volarefilms.com
Thanks for visiting! ;-)

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