Interview with Yari, Director & Writer of “My Shadow’s Wings”

Nominated for Best Music Video at the World Film Festival in Cannes during the July 2026 edition, My Shadow’s Wings (Las Alas de mi Sombra) is a music video written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Yari, founder of Fearless O’Clock Studios. It follows Kiara, a dancer who must overcome her fears to dare to spread her wings. A conversation.

Yari, in Las Alas de mi Sombra, you explore the intimate boundary between self-doubt and self-assertion. The video is built around a striking visual duality between the glittering theatrical stage and a dreamlike world suspended in the clouds. How did you conceive these two contrasting environments to visually express Kiara’s inner world?

I’ve always felt like the visual key in this project is the contrast between the two aesthetics. The performance she does on stage represents her reality, the fact that she has to work hard for her dreams, do it in front of people and not only face the spotlight, but embrace it. But of course, her inner world tells us she has doubts, fears, insecurities. That’s why at the beginning, the dreamlike world in the clouds is dark, almost like she is trapped in a place where the sun doesn’t rise. It’s also why she’s lying down, hiding behind clouds, feeling like she’s not good enough and afraid to pursue her dreams because her fears are taking control. I wanted these two environments to be part of Kiara’s story and the powerful message the project sends. By the end, we see that Kiara’s inner world is brighter than ever. The sun has risen and she sits bathing in the warm rays of sunshine that surround her. This means that Kiara has overcome her fears, she’s become stronger and more confident, deciding she’s done hiding. She’s not a victim and never has been. All along, what she needed to realize was that the only thing holding her back from her potential was her own fear. She realizes, to use symbolism that’s part of the story, that her wings aren’t that useful if she decides not to even try to fly.

Building these two contrasting environments was always an idea from the start of the project. The way I wanted to tell this story was through two worlds: the protagonist’s reality and her inner world. The contrast of the two environments helps a lot with the dynamic between self-doubt and self-assertion and her inner world getting brighter is crucial because it represents another really important aspect when battling with inner fears: growth. I feel like the story wouldn’t have been the same without these details that might seem small, but they really play a huge part in building a story.

The character of Kiara, played by Marta Casado, conveys much of the film’s emotion through her gaze, gestures, and the movement of her illuminated wings. As a director with extensive acting experience yourself, how did you approach guiding this physical performance and portraying her journey from vulnerability to strength?

First of all, thank you for this question because this brings me back to the exact birth of it all. When I started writing this idea, I initially planned it as a short film with dialogue. Then I thought about it, reread the script and there was just something that didn’t really feel right. This is one of those moments when you have to trust your gut. I maintained all of the ideas, but cut out the dialogue. All of it. Then I saw it: This was a story that didn’t necessarily need to be told through spoken words, interactions, conversations. I fell in love with the idea even more as I decided it was going to be told through a music video. Of course, for this, Marta’s performance as Kiara was extremely important. It wasn’t just about choreography, it was about Marta showing us all of Kiara’s emotions through her gazes, eyes, gestures. And she pulled it off in a brilliant way, she was the perfect actress to give life to Kiara.

As a director, I didn’t want to make her do all the work, but I also didn’t want to completely take control of her performance. This was about teamwork. I worked with Marta through mutual effort and guided her through every step, but also giving her the freedom she needed. Kiara’s journey isn’t an easy one and all the moments we see her go through are crucial especially for such a short project. Marta understood her character very well and put so much stamina and effort into Kiara. Another important thing I kept in mind during the entire journey and acting process was the way Kiara acted on stage and in her inner world. I made sure Marta didn’t have any doubts about the key moments and reassured her when she was getting closer to Kiara’s feelings. I think it is crucial to have open conversations with the cast, what works, what doesn’t and work together on bringing the character to life in the best way possible.

By the end, Marta managed to show Kiara’s vulnerable moments and all the process leading up to Kiara discovering her inner strength was always there. Marta agreed that to portray all of this, it was better to not use words, but do it through a performance based on movement and facial expressions.

The original song No Te Vas, created by Luna Garijo, Rafa Gil de la Calleja, and Agustín Martínez, drives much of the visual narrative. How did the collaboration between the music and your writing process unfold? Did the song determine the rhythm of the editing, or did your visual concept also influence the musical direction?

Connected to my previous answer, when I made up my mind that I wanted to tell this story through a music video, I immediately contacted Luna, who’s a friend of mine and we also went to university together. She was doing a lot of covers and occasionally sang in places, but she had never actually composed her own song. So I asked her if she would like to be part of this journey and compose a song specifically for this project. She was very excited to compose and sing it. We talked about it, had meetings and kept each other updated for months. And it was all worth it. It wasn’t just a collaboration between friends, but an experience that proves wonderful things can happen when two forms of art come together and unite for one project. The short film is currently still participating in festivals but the full song No Te Vas has been officially released through a lyric video on the Fearless O’Clock Studios channel for anyone who wants to add it to their playlist. I have it on my playlist and to this day, I still love listening to it.

The plan was to have the song ready by the time we started shooting so we could create a choreography that worked for the song. It was a stressful process for me but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I learned so much about music and choreographies and I’m grateful for it all.

Certain cuts and changes in the editing process were obviously influenced by the rhythm of the song, but it was something we knew we had to work on. The song was never an addition, it was something that we worked on from the beginning (like I said, months before shooting or preparing anything else). The song was a crucial element in the birth of the idea.

From the bold red corset to the LED wings, purple roses, and black feathers, every costume element and prop seems to carry symbolic meaning. How did you work with the art department, including Javier Sánchez and Malena Salgado, to create such a poetic and distinctive visual identity?

Anyone who knows me and has worked with me knows I am obsessed with details. I never say “I don’t care” or “Do whatever you want” when it comes to props, objects, wardrobe. After I finish writing a script, one of the first things I do is prepare a visual board (mood board) with all the symbols, details and plans for that certain idea, along with a planned meeting where I explain to my crew what the symbols and details mean and their level of importance. I could talk endlessly about these things on every single one of my projects because from the writing process I carefully plan them, but also try to include them in a natural way that works for each story, without forcing it.

The roses also serve as a contrast. If we pay attention, the purple roses in Kiara’s inner world have thorns, while at the end of Kiara’s performance in the real world, the audience throws red roses at her without thorns. This small detail (that probably goes by unnoticed) is one that holds meaning and I particularly like it. Kiara’s fears are so strong that she imagines the show ending in disaster, people criticizing, hating, laughing at her, all these thoughts surround her as roses with thorns. But at the end of her performance, she receives huge applause with roses without thorns being thrown at her. She even picked one up. The roses without thorns represent that all those negative thoughts were holding her back from the good things. It also shows that sometimes, we’re so busy thinking about all the negative aspects and horrible results of a situation when in reality, it’s not that big of a deal as we make it up in our minds.

The wardrobe was also carefully planned, from types of clothes to palette. Obviously the clothes stay in the palette of each environment, also representing the contrast. Also, another detail I love: the red shiny corset Kiara wears on stage has red feathers which complement her LED wings which she uses on stage and of course, keep the “wings” theme of the entire project alive. We get references to wings from all these details: feathers on her red dress, LED wings, black feathers through the clouds, her puffy dress which kind of reminds us of a white bird, her earrings with feathers and obviously, her shadow with wings at the end. This symbol is important because throughout the story, Kiara isn’t trying to find her wings. Kiara has always had her wings, but she’s trying to find the courage to use them. And of course, the entire “wings” theme is a symbol. It tries to tell us that we all have that inner strength, that boldness, that confidence inside of us. We just have to use it more, especially when it’s about achieving our dreams. You can’t aim for the stars if you’re too afraid to even look at the sky in the first place.

The reason why in the beginning, in her inner world, Kiara is wrapped in a plastic sheet with roses with thorns around is because she feels like she is stuck in a constant mindset of doubt, fear and negativity. But a plastic sheet is something easy to lift (which she eventually does lift and get out of). It represents the illusion fear imposes on us where it makes us feel stuck and not able to push through something, when in reality we can, we just have to be brave and take that first step despite the fear.

I explained every detail and the importance of every prop to the art department and not only they understood, but they also loved everything and got excited to work on all of it. I love working with people who also put passion and excitement into their work. And the art department gave it their all, they worked very hard both in pre-production and on set, making sure all the goals were achieved. Javi, Malena, Gabri and Irene did a spectacular job and paid close attention to absolutely everything: the stage, the curtains, the roses, the clouds, the sky (which by the way was painted by them). The art department really does wonders, especially when they have all this dedication and love for an idea.

Even for makeup, I prepared a presentation with palette and references which was studied carefully by Isabel, the makeup artist, who’s actually my big sister. She came prepared with everything and I loved having her on set. The project was created by a crew who believed in my idea and not only helped, but excitedly participated in bringing it to life. And when passion unites people, wonderful projects are born.

You founded Fearless O’Clock Studios with the ambition of producing bold, authentic, and boundary-pushing cinema. In what ways does Las Alas de mi Sombra embody that Fearless philosophy, and what message do you hope the film conveys to artists confronting their own self-imposed limitations?

Fearless O’Clock Studios is and always will be about bringing the most bold, risky and boundary-pushing stories to life. My Shadow’s Wings (Las Alas de mi Sombra) is one of those bold ideas and it delivers more than one message.

On one hand, it encourages people to not give in to their fears and inner doubts. I will forever be a believer of the “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will” quote. Kiara’s story shows us the importance of believing in yourself, getting back up and fighting for your dreams. And the importance of never ever letting fear kill that passion, never letting your doubts get in the way. It is much easier said than done, I have personally struggled with this many times and sometimes I still do. But that’s why we need projects like this. To remind us what we’re capable of if we don’t listen to those voices (both internal and external) that scream at us that we’re not good enough. And of course, Fearless O’Clock Studios itself, just with its name, is a reminder to that. Whenever I feel like this I like to make the inner joke which helps me push forwards “What time is it?” and then I answer back to myself “It’s Fearless O’Clock.”

On the other hand, Kiara’s story also brings light on a topic which I think should be more explored in audiovisuals: inclusive dancing and artists passionate about their work no matter the obstacles they face on the way. Kiara’s story obviously tells us she dreams of being a dancer, but doesn’t think she will ever be good enough due to her condition. But slowly, throughout the story, she realizes she is more capable than she thinks and most importantly: she is more than a disability. That’s why I decided to only show her full body at the end because otherwise I think the message would have been lost. I think the full focus would have been on just the missing leg and the idea was to show that she is an ambitious girl with a dream who’s trying to overcome her fears.

All these things can be applied by anyone who watches the project, I hope all artists and dreamers around the world can relate to this in their own way and to their own situation. And I hope it encourages them to believe more in their dreams. Dreams have been put into our hearts for a reason.

Congratulations on your film’s nomination at the World Film Festival in Cannes. From the experimental dystopian universe of A Rainbow of Money to the intimate poetry of Las Alas de mi Sombra, your work shows remarkable versatility across genres. What projects are you currently developing at Fearless O’Clock Studios, and what direction would you like to explore next?

When talking about all my ideas and the projects at Fearless O’Clock Studios, I always have different genres, ideas, even styles. Because it depends on the project. I’m open to exploring but it’s not just about that. It’s about the fact that my creativity leads me to explore different fields and styles in each project. A Rainbow of Money is a dystopian idea which I am currently working to create into a full-length film, because it’s a big plot and I want to tell it properly without forcing it to be caged into something short and limited. I actually have various scripts planned for full-length films and I find it fun that even though they’re all written by the same person (me), they’re all very different. The Rifle Under My Sister’s Bed is a psychological drama I’m trying to turn into a full-length film, which is another idea I’m very passionate about and again, has lots of details and symbols. I would say, currently, A Rainbow of Money and The Rifle Under My Sister’s Bed are the two big projects I’m trying really hard to bring to life. Other full-length film scripts I’m working on are: a comedy one, a horror one, a dark comedy one and a liminal space thriller.

What I’m currently working on is a psychological horror short film called Eshe’s Puppets (Las Marionetas de Eshe). It’s a script I wrote in June and spent the summer working on its pre-production and I’m excited that we’re going to film this October (or as all of us Halloween lovers like to call it: Spooktober). I also have two more short films planned for spring 2027 (a dark romance) and summer 2027 (a coming of age which sheds light on what it’s like living with Cotard’s Delusion).

I have a lot planned for Fearless O’Clock Studios and various projects but I always spend a lot of time on one particular project because I try to dedicate the time, attention and quality needed to every single idea. And one thing’s for sure: I want to keep creating because it’s what I’m passionate about.

At a key moment in the performance, we discover that Marta Casado performs with a prosthetic leg, which adds a powerful new dimension to the symbolism of the wings, movement, and flight. How did this aspect of Marta’s performance influence your choreography and staging, and in what way does her presence deepen the film’s central themes of resilience, liberation, and freedom?

From the very beginning we created a choreography with the wings, which didn’t require complex or straight up impossible dance moves. The choreography and staging was always done the way we see it in the final result. Marta’s performance was brilliant and she was on board from the first phone call. The ending, where we become aware of Marta’s missing leg, tells us that much more about her strength and how she’s perfectly capable of achieving her dreams, opening up her strong wings and feeling that freedom where she leaves inner doubts and fears behind. Marta’s presence to Kiara and to the entire film deepens the themes of growth and inner strength, as we point out that everyone, no matter what, can become who they aspire to be. I like to think that Marta is who Kiara wants to be because Marta has shown us she is a strong, positive, passionate artist who brought energy and joy on set.

Thank you so much to World Film Festival in Cannes for this interview. I’m always excited to go in depth about my ideas and talk about the projects I’m working on at Fearless O’Clock Studios. And of course, the best way I can end this interview is by saying: remember to stay Fearless.