Behind the Scenes

A Film Born From Promise, Memory, and Pure Determination

COLORS OF THE SUN was created under extraordinary circumstances, built not from funding or infrastructure, but from conviction, community, and an unshakeable belief that these stories needed to be preserved.

The film’s origins trace back to a promise made in 1985, when writer-director Edward D Padilla interviewed 351 people in the wake of losing his best friend to AIDS. Their raw, heartbreaking, and courageous testimonies became the emotional blueprint for the film. Four decades later, COLORS OF THE SUN brings those voices to the screen with profound respect and renewed urgency.

Carrying Forward the Voices of the Past

Few of the real people interviewed in 1985 are still alive, but those who remain sent heartfelt messages to the cast, reaffirming the importance of telling these stories. Their words served as both blessing and reminder: the film is not just art…it is remembrance.
The actors embraced this responsibility with extraordinary commitment. Many took on multiple jobs, reshaped schedules, and donated their time. Some traveled at their own expense because the material moved them so deeply.

A Testament to Community Filmmaking

In the spirit of the era it honors, COLORS OF THE SUN was built the way much of early queer art was created: collaboratively, passionately, with whatever tools were available. The finished film stands as proof of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with purpose.

More than a behind-the-scenes story, it is a living record of resilience, both from the generation that survived the epidemic and from the artists who now carry their legacy forward.

Recreating 1985 With Heart Instead of Budget

With no formal funding and no traditional crew, the cast and creative team pieced the production together through resourcefulness and sheer willpower.

  • A single camera, a handful of SD cards, and a few purchased lights formed the entire technical foundation.
  • Cast members became the crew: holding the boom mic, clapping the slate, adjusting lights, running props, and transforming locations.
  • One person’s home doubled as seven different sets, achieved through clever framing and constant rearranging.
  • A local church, Glory Bound Ministries, and a daycare center graciously opened their doors, allowing the team to convert spaces into hospital rooms, chapels, offices, and more.
  • Scenes were rewritten on the fly to compensate for missing elements, unavailable performers, or last-minute changes.

Despite setbacks, including losing six principal cast members mid-production and having to restart months of work, the team refused to abandon the film. The shared sense of purpose was stronger than exhaustion, frustration, or uncertainty.

Production Notes

  • Filmed entirely on a micro-budget with a minimal-footprint crew structure
  • Executive Producers: Teresa Longo, Michael L. Miller, Macario Flores, Joaquín Madrid Larrañaga, and Edward D Padilla
  • Production Company: Asphodel Meadow Films, LLC/JEML Films/9Point Productions

Themes and Tone

  • End-of-life love and acceptance

  • Chosen family

  • Emotional resilience

  • Connection through grief

  • Quiet realism balanced with poetic intimacy

Tone: Intimate, emotional, character-centered, hopeful through heartbreak.