CARMEN
About the Film
“Carmen” is a short film based on Georges Bizet's opera. The romantic tragedy follows Elisa, a teenage opera fanatic who has spent her whole life dreaming of playing Carmen. When she finally gets a callback for the role, that dream suddenly feels close enough to touch. But as the opportunity progresses, Elisa discovers that she will only get the role if she can prove that Carmen's spirit lives in her. As she gets caught between performance and reality, Elisa becomes drawn to her popular cast member Archer Dean, despite having a boyfriend, and attracted to her character’s reckless choices of cheating, stealing, and betraying those around her. What begins as dedication slowly slips into obsession, but Elisa must face the ultimate question: how far is too far for a dream?
Director: Ximena Esparragoza
Producer: Alyssia Estero
United States // 2025 // Drama // Los Shorts
17 minutes
About the Filmmaker
Ximena Esparragoza Corro is a Mexican filmmaker currently pursuing her BFA degree in New York as a student of the New York Film Academy. Her films often explore themes of identity, mental struggles, and relationships, using cinema as a tool for social reflection and personal expression, with the goal of helping audiences feel heard and understood in their own experiences.
