Actress Lilly Melgar chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about doing the short film “Espacios Vacios,” and being a part of Maurice Benard’s “State of Mind” podcast.
It was written, produced, and directed by Alex Linares and it was dedicated in loving memory of Melgar’s late father, Gustavo A. Melgar. “It was very cathartic,” she said. “We had just lost my father so it really gave me an opportunity to use my pain in a creative way that could hopefully connect with others that may be going through loss as well.”
“We were all in a lot of pain so it helps to use your art,” she said. “It was such a painful time in my life, and I am just now coming out of it. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to use that pain to put something out there that could help others connect on that level and not feel alone.”
With this film, she shared that she wanted to connect more with her Latin roots and express herself in that way a little more at this stage in her career. “I feel that our loved ones that have crossed never leave us, and they are always with us and I feel that this short speaks to that,” she said.
“From a creative standpoint, aside from everything else, it is something that I am very proud of since we were able to tell a story in a four-minute time frame that truly connected with people and was moving,” she explained.
“To tell a story that can move another human being in a four minute time frame is incredibly challenging,” she admitted. “From that perspective, I am very proud that we were able to do that.”
This short film earned a favorable review from Digital Journal. “This short film was a creative outlet to release and express the pain we were all going through and an opportunity to connect with others that may be going through their own pain with their own losses in 2020,” she said.
Maurice Benard’s ‘State of Mind’
She also opened up about appearing in Maurice Benard’s “State of Mind” podcast, where they spoke about overcoming Loss during COVID, the importance of mental health, and “General Hospital.” “Maurice has been incredibly supportive during this very difficult year that I’ve had,” Melgar said. “He was so encouraging to have me on the show so that I can share my experience, where I can help other people that are going through it or something similar.”
“This was my first time onscreen aside from shooting ‘Espacios Vacios’ with my family. I had to be with a person that I felt safe and comfortable with,” she said. “I can honestly say that Maurice created the space for me to feel safe and I didn’t even feel the cameras there. Maurice and I have such a special and unique chemistry and friendship, there is so much love between the two of us and I think that really reflected in the interview.”
“I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to share my story in hopes that it can lighten somebody else’s load or simply make someone feel less alone in their own journey,” she added.
“Finally, I want to extend my appreciation to Maurice Benard and ‘State of Mind’ for shedding light on the subject of mental health. It is so important especially coming out of 2020 so that things can be brought to the light so that they may be healed, and that’s what he is doing with his show and his platform. I respect that so much and I am so grateful to have been a part of it,” she concluded.
