Just Say Yes: A Film About the Power of Persistence
Héctor Ayuso is a man who doesn’t seem to slow down. On top of being the founder of OFFF, he is a teacher, artist, curator and all-around creative. His exact job title is a bit difficult to put down, as he may be pursuing any number of creative projects on any given day, usually something that involves helping others access their own potential. As Ayuso himself puts it, “I don’t make people more creative. I don’t teach them skills. I just unlock whatever they have inside.”
Now, he’s translating that momentum into a new film, Just Say Yes that is centred around Ayuso’s approach to life, which largely involves tackling big problems head-on and keeping a positive attitude by always saying “yes” to challenges that may come his way. The film, focused on Ayuso’s mission to run the ULTRAMAN Florida, an extreme endurance event that involves three days and over 500 kilometres of swimming, biking and running.
For the past seven months, Ayuso and his team have been privately working on the film, with shooting to begin soon. “It’s not just a movie about Hector’s life, it’s a movie to inspire people to take risks and make things happens while accepting the challenges,” says the team behind the film. “Many friends, artists and OFFF speakers will be involved.”
Read one for more from Ayuso about his approach to life, and for an insight into the film’s creation from director, César Pesquera.
fluoro. Talk us through your beginnings as an athlete. What made you start this journey?
Héctor Ayuso. I have been taking risks ever since I started to see the beauty of the outcome of every challenge that confronts me. It’s an adrenaline rush. It all started when I explored my love for sports as a runner and every race’s finish line was a challenge. But I always wanted more until I decided to take the triathlon path, becoming an IRONMAN and now I’m on my journey to one of my greatest challenges the ULTRAMAN in Florida.
f. Was there a defining moment you can recall that changed the way you viewed your potential?
HA. Of course, you always want to challenge yourself and see what you are capable of even when you’re not sure if you can do it or not. In the end, you trust your instincts and go for it, like any decision you have to take.
f. How is fear a positive emotion?
HA. Fear makes you want to do things. It’s a wake-up call to your soul, body and mind. When I was confronted with the fact that I had to either lose weight or face a risky back problem for the rest of my life, I got scared. I decided to start training and I lost 45 kilos in 6 months. When I completed my first IRONMAN, I thought to myself: ‘Ok, I could do this, what now?’ I needed something to scare me, I needed a challenge bigger than myself. Fear gives me strength, it gives me the power to say yes.
f. Talk to us about the title choice – Just Say Yes?
HA. It literally defines my daily response. When I founded OFFF, I said yes to many things, and it got me where I am today 18 years later. It’s easy to give up, it’s much easier to stay away from things that scare you or things that you think you will fail at. So I said yes and went for it. And I wish to inspire people to just say yes and do what they think they cannot do.
f. What did you want to achieve with this film?
HA. When STORY: [the production company involved with the film] first came to me with the idea, it was clear since the beginning that I did not want this movie to be about me. Rather, a movie to inspire people based on everything I have went through in my life. So we combined two important aspects, sports and real life events, in order to inspire all types of audience. Because in the end it’s the journey toward your goals that matters, the commitment and the passion you put into it, the sacrifices, the pain and the hours you invest; all these aspects make you who you are and gives you strength and the capability to finish something you always wanted to do.
Today when you watch someone crossing the finish line even when you don’t practice sports, you tear, you react because that person’s emotions get to you. It is happiness. I want people to breathe this movie and go do what they have always been afraid to do. Confront their fears by saying yes and making things happen.
f. What has this experience taught you about your limits?
HA. That I have no limits.
f. What do you hope those who watch the film will gain from seeing your experiences?
HA. Get inspired, make things happen, say yes to what you always wanted to do but couldn’t. And most importantly to remember that it’s all about the journey towards whatever goal you have in mind.
f. How do you think the launch of Just Say Yes at OFFF Barcelona 2018 will impact the festival?
HA. We decided to premiere the movie first time at OFFF because many OFFF important friends will be involved in the movie. Especially, it makes sense to all our followers and to OFFF’s main theme: get inspired. When we first premiered the teaser in the last edition, we got a lot of support and amazing insights from the audience, so we decided they deserve to be the first ones to see the film exclusively this one time.
fluoro. How did this opportunity of working with Héctor on this film come to life?
César Pesquera. I remember last year STORY: – the production company I work with in Spain – approached me with the idea of the film. At the time, I was about to leave for a three-month trip, so I couldn’t be part of the project. But when I came back, the idea was still there and needed a director – so it was kind of funny, it was like I was meant to do it.
f. What were the major considerations when directing this film?
CP. To be honest, at first it was like, ‘Why does Hector want to do a film about himself?’ Hector is not the kind of person who likes to be in the spotlight, so I remember asking him directly, ‘Why should we do this film, Hector?’. He basically told me that it’s the complete opposite: he does not want a movie about himself, rather a movie to help other people get inspired since a lot of people who hear his story get very inspired and he wanted to share it with as many people as possible. So it was all about giving things away and not an egocentric gesture at all. That’s why from the very beginning we knew we didn’t want to do a biopic or a weeping self-help manual focused on Hector. The project will be ultimately a film about fear. The film will use Hector’s life as a starting point to reflect about fear itself and how we confront it.
f. What can those who watch the film expect to see/feel/hear?
CP. In formal terms, we will avoid all the clichés of documentary films in order to build a piece where cinema, sport and creativity will merge. I don’t want to spoil anything but Marc Sanchez – the script writer – and I have been working on the script for the last three months and it is going to be an exciting combination of people and techniques.
Another important point was that the film should engage all kinds of public, even those who don’t know Hector or OFFF Festival or triathlon sports. So, despite the fact that we will witness how Héctor faces one of his biggest fears, Ultraman Florida , it is intended to be a universal film about how we all face our fears.
f. How do you think the launch of Just Say Yes at OFFF Barcelona 2018 will impact the festival?
CP. First of all, I think people will get to know more about Hector and his story, which I think not many people know. Secondly, I hope people feel moved and inspired. I think it is interesting that OFFF, a festival dedicated to shorter and, in a way, more abstract formats, will host the premiere of a film with a longer and more narrative format.
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Just Say Yes will be launching at OFFF 2018, which is taking place from be running from Thursday 24 – Sunday 26 May 2018.
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