Interview:
Tara Pirnia,
co-writer/director,
"Switch Up"
Austin-based documentary filmmaker Tara Pirnia makes her narrative feature debut with Switch Up, a dramedy about homelessness that focuses on an egocentric talk show host who suddenly finds himself humiliated and penniless. Played by Cristián de la Fuente, Ricardo De La Cruz has everything: a successful talk show, a lavish Miami lifestyle, and a beautiful girlfriend. When his ratings start to slip, Ricardo reluctantly agrees to include some socially relevant segments to a show known for covering nothing but fluff. This results in Ricardo traveling to Brownsville to do a segment on a homeless shelter and a soup kitchen. While in Brownsville, though, Ricardo becomes embroiled in a scandal that leaves him without his show and on the streets without a dollar to his name. Switch Up also stars Julieth Restrepo as soup kitchen operator Cassandra and Jeff Fahey as unhoused veteran Charlie, who both help Ricardo down the path to redemption. Produced by the Austin-based Elizabeth Avellán, Switch Up screens during the SXSW Film & TV Festival at 11 a.m. March 10 at the Paramount Theatre. Tara Pirnia began her career as an entertainment reporter at Spectrum News 1 in Austin before transitioning into making time-sensitive celebrity profile-driven documentaries. She also produced You Are My Home, which starred Cristián de la Fuente. She and Elizabeth Avellán produced the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival selection Deadland, which starred Julieth Restrepo. Aired: March 6, 2024. Web sites: https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/films/2198717 |
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