New locally produced and shot film tells story of hope and redemption

By Angie Baldelomar Silas Martinez never imagined he would work in a movie, let alone star in one. But in early 2020, friend and local producer Juan Aguero approached him and said Martinez’s story was worth telling. Martinez, a recovering addict, had shared his struggles with drug addiction and how he overcame it with Aguero. “What I didn’t know was that he was recording me telling my story,” Martinez said. “And later, when he revealed that he’d recorded our conversation, he said, ‘Since I make movies, what do you think of turning your story into one?’” And that is how “La Liberacion de Silas” (“The Liberation of Silas” in English), a Christian movie based on Martinez’s life, was born. Martinez not only agreed to have his story told, but also ended up portraying himself in the movie — even though he had no acting experience. “It was a privilege to have portrayed myself and what I went through and show others what I went through,” he said. Filmed in 22 days over the summer, the movie is finally premiering this Thursday (Jan. 7). It tells the story of an alcoholic and drug addict who has hit rock bottom until he…
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