Here is the biography of Aaron Soto:
Aaron Soto was born on February 10, 1972. His parents, Jorge Soto Fuentes and his wife, had a diverse cultural background. Jorge, Aaron's father, was a con artist with experience in journalism and publicity. Aaron grew up listening to various stories from Mexico City, including the cinematographic learning his father had in film school with teacher Luis Buñuel.
As one of nine children, Aaron's parents did not have the opportunity to teach cultural activities to their son. However, Aaron discovered his creative side at a young age through drawing, writing, and dancing. He found books on fantasy, metaphysical, and esoteric literature, and was particularly amazed by the adaptation of the script of "El Topo" by Alejandro Jodorowsky at the age of 7.
Aaron's exposure to various programming on TV, including weekend b-movies marathons, Bruce Lee movie series, and "Chespirito" comedy hour, further influenced his love for art and movies. By his adolescence, he found his true passion: horror films. He discovered local video stores, which introduced him to the world of spaghetti zombie films, such as Lucio Fulci's "The Gates of Hell".
Aaron began experimenting with cameras and writing screenplays. By the age of 15, he had a huge collection of VHS movies and started producing his own short films. After being rejected from the Communications Career at the University of Baja California, he invested in a regular digital camera and produced his first short film.
In 2000, Aaron was accepted into the Telemedia department at Southwestern College in San Diego, California. He worked on occasional adds for local TV and food vendors across the border while filming and editing his short films. His sci-fi short film, "Omega Shell", became a classic of the Tijuana/San Diego border film scene, obtaining a cult status years after.
Aaron's career took off after the success of "Omega Shell". He received recognition from critics and festivals on both sides of the border. His work was exhibited in important museums, including the Jolla Museum of Contemporary Arts and the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego. He won the Experimental VideoFest in Mexico and was officially selected in the Latin American Film Festival in La Havana, Cuba.
Aaron continued to produce genre films, including "Before The Cradle" and "Forgotten City". He noticed the lack of attention for film directors from the border and started to work supporting other filmmakers by creating a series of presentations of independent filmmaking in both sides of the border, known as "Cinema inc.".
In 2002, "Cinema inc." debuted at the Gallery Now in Lemon Grove, California, with an attendance of 500 people. The event successfully showcased short films from various artists of the region, mostly from self-taught artists. Aaron continued to work on "Cinema inc." and other projects, including a weekly screenings of sub-genre movies at the Tijuana Cultural Center.
Aaron's work also included a nunsploitation short, "Ashes", and a feature film, "33 1/2", which received multiple recognitions and national awards in Mexico. He edited his short film, "Panic Interview", based on his dreamed encounter with Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Since then, Aaron has focused on collaborating with multidisciplinary artists from the border, including music videos, visual projects, and short films. He has also worked on various projects with his partner, Cathy Alberich, with whom he started a working partnership and evolved as his partner in life.
