Las Hormigas Negras sets off on the adventure of the documentary “Las Islas de San Mao” (The Islands of San Mao)
San Mao is one of the most-read authors of Asia, selling over 10 million copies of her books. For her, the Canary Islands was one of the most important places in her life. Las Hormigas Negras wants to make a documentary about this author, who came originally from Taiwan, but made her real home here in the islands.
When Luís Luque, director of Las Hormigas Negras, discovered the story of San Mao by chance four years ago, he never imagined it would weave its magic on him. He gradually started to investigate her, and discovered that she lived in a house in Playa del Hombre for ten years, where she used to go for long walks. Luque faced the difficulty of not being able to find translations of any of her work, until publishers Rata published her books in Spanish a couple of years ago. Now, when can read her books, contacts have been located to interview, people who know the story of San Mao in depth, now is the time to embark on this project.
The aim of the “Las Islas de San Mao” team is to tell the story of San Mao in the islands in depth, through her own texts, conversations with her friends and family and by recreating moments of her daily life. The main focus of the documentary will be the mark – physical and emotional – left by San Mao in the Canary Islands, especially in Gran Canaria, and the influence the Islands had on her work.
Although the documentary remains in the development stage, interviews have been conducted with the innermost circle of San Mao and José María in La Palma and in Gran Canaria. A teaser has also been made – of great technical and narrative quality – giving a good idea of what this unique documentary will be like, based on the magnificent work of our team of directors, producers, photographers, art directors and editors.
Las Islas de SAN MAO _ Teaser from Las Hormigas Negras on Vimeo.