Echoes In The Dark - Documentary Short, USA

Student Film - Texas Premiere!

Unique, mysterious, but misunderstood; a species that does so much for us, and their real value is now coming out of the dark.   Echoes in the Dark uncovers the impact of an unsuspecting, yet wildly rejected creature: bats. The documentary is a fully student-produced project from the University of Florida, led by a team in their early 20s.

The film shines a light on the immense value these flying mammals hold not just to the people in the small town of Gainesville, Florida, where the film takes place, but across the world. The human relationship with bats is fully realized throughout the piece and shows how this connection has evolved and shifted over decades. It highlights the relationships experts and admirers alike hold with the species while also challenging what it means to coexist with the natural world, accepting all the wildlife that plays a role in it, by settling the misconceptions commonly tacked onto the animal. Furthermore, the film explores how climate change is hurting bat populations across the sea and back at home, which is lessening their relevance and benefits for both people and the environment.

Director Victor San Martin-Diaz became a filmmaker in high school, when I created documentaries on survivors of the Holocaust. I realized that I wanted to continue spreading messages of truth, even if the reality isn't easy to digest. This catapulted me to the University of Florida for my undergraduate degree to pursue filmmaking.
In college, I started my own video production company, Video Vic Productions, LLC, to pay for rent and tuition. I worked with small businesses across Florida to spread their messages in an engaging and fun way.

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Director Statement
I have a passion for documentary filmmaking, and through my work I aim to reveal fairly well known topics in a new way. Building a relationship is the driver behind why I love filmmaking, and the ability to craft a story out of ideas both big and small. Ultimately, my curiosity is what decides the films I wish to create.