‘Pieces of Life’: New indie drama packed with heart
Independent filmmakers are at the forefront of innovation, and they frequently bring audience’s the most new & exciting experiences available at the theater. Whether the innovations are technical or narrative, independent filmmakers are always putting together something new. That’s exactly what’s happening in Pieces of Life, a new film from writer, director, and producer Margaret Sanchez.
Pieces of Life is a story about addiction, dealing with past trauma, and finding healing love as part of a family. In an interview with L.A. Margaret Sanchez says she pulled on her own family’s history as some inspiration for the heartfelt tale explored in Pieces of Life. She aimed to create a tense drama that, instead of pushing audiences away by being too heavy, highlighted the joy that can be found even in the darkest times.
Distributed by Chezamparo Films, LLC, Pieces of Life is an astonishing example of what can happen when an indie filmmaker is given the creative bandwidth to tell her story. Before seeing the film, come along for a deeper dive into Margaret Sanchez and the story she puts together in Pieces of Life.
Writing, directing, producing, and more
Margaret Sanchez lives & works in Dallas, Texas. She has said that she was drawn to film at a very young age. When her parents took her to films as a kid, she decided that she wanted to get involved in the art. Her first film was a local Dallas production called Portrait of an American Family. More recently, you might have seen her as Mrs. Cee in Miss Juneteenth, which played at the Sundance Festival in 2020.
Of course all films are inherently collaborative, but Sanchez had an incredible amount of creative control over Pieces of Life. She wrote the screenplay and both directed & produced the film. She also plays the film’s lead, a hispanic mother with a husband and step-daughter who’s forced to confront her past of addiction when her abandoned first child re-enters her life.
Sanchez told L.A. Indies Magazine that she drew inspiration for the screenplay from her brother, who struggled with addiction most of his life until health complications cost him his life in his mid-fifties. She wanted to tell a story about addiction and an adopted child trying to reconnect with their birth parents but from the perspective of a woman who thought that she’d thoroughly left her difficult past behind her.
One to watch
Pieces of Life is a wonderful film that offers an inspiring message without shying away from life’s rougher edges. It is a fantastic example of why independent filmmakers are the real darlings of the industry. Whether you’re a film buff or just casually interested in realistic family dramas, Pieces of Life is a movie you should make sure to catch.
Margaret Sanchez is just getting started in her career as a filmmaker. She’s said that she has plans for future endeavors. According to her interview with L.A. Indies Magazine, her next piece will be “definitely a dark comedy.” If she brings all her skill from Pieces of Life to the next project, it’ll surely be something to remember.
