ISADORA ORTEGA CONFRONTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN ANOTHER LOVE STORY FILM
BY EBBY MAGAZINE
Isadora Ortega shines a spotlight on domestic abuse in her poignant film Another Love Story, drawn from a deeply personal tragedy.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANASTASIYA SAZHINA
“I DO MY BEST TO USE MY ART TO BRING AWARENESS TO SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL ISSUES.”
ISADORA ORTEGA, ACTRESS, WRITER, & PRODUCER
As actress, writer, and producer Isadora Ortega releases her powerful new film, Another Love Story, she tells a poignant story about the challenges faced by victims of domestic violence. Now streaming on Tubi, the film offers a personal look at this critical issue, one that Isadora knows all too well. After losing a close friend to domestic violence as a teenager, she was deeply affected and felt a strong need to raise awareness about this issue. She knew the film was a way to honor those who have passed and give a voice to those still suffering. Written and produced by Isadora, Another Love Story is about a teenage girl who discovers her mother’s horrific secret. It’s a film for those who are in the process of leaving an abusive relationship and for those who have left but are haunted by the fear of being found.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, and of Dominican, Haitian, and Cuban descent, Isadora has built an impressive career in New York and Los Angeles. She is an alumna of the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and Susan Batson Studios and has starred in off-Broadway productions, web series, and hit TV shows like Laff Mob on TRU TV. She has also made her mark as an executive producer, with a strong presence in social media and the publishing world, recently releasing her graphic novel The Curse of the Flower.
Isadora opens up about the emotional journey of creating Another Love Story, her commitment to advocating for victims of domestic violence, and the importance of sharing authentic narratives in Hollywood. Join us as we dive into Isadora’s inspiring story, activism, and the powerful messages she hopes to share with audiences everywhere.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Another Love Story and what it means to you personally?
Another Love Story emerged from a deeply personal tragedy. A very dear friend of mine was killed by her partner, who then took his own life. We were all left in shock and grief. As I began researching the issue, I realized how widespread domestic abuse is in our society—it’s a major social issue that often goes unnoticed. The journey was painful because every time we revise the script, we did table-read we shot a scene it was like plain with a wound that wasn’t fully healed. But it was his door that needed to be told.
How did your experiences as an Afro-Latina actress and filmmaker shape the storytelling in this film?
I love creating from a place grounded in reality, drawing from facts, history, and deeply rooted subjects. I have several other projects in the works that focus on society, history, science, and human morality. So, you can expect to see more of that—more films that reflect my culture and the people I grew up with. History and social issues are a big foundation of my writing process. We have so much history that is still untold, and we have so many social issues they still need to be addressed.
Domestic violence is a sensitive and complex issue. What challenges did you face while bringing this narrative to the screen?
Another Love Story was filmed during the high of COVID, so we had to oblige by all these COVID rules to make sure that our cast crew was safe, which is extremely expensive to do as an independent filmmaker. It is something that we always need, period. Also, it was very challenging finding an actor that was willing to play the role of Mark. We were able to find Kenneth close to shooting the film, and then after we found him, we had to reschedule the film and I was honestly extremely concerned and scared that we were going to lose him because of the date changes, but as you know, everything worked out for the best and Kenneth did an amazing job.
You recently won the Best Actress award at the New York International Film Awards for your role in Another Love Story. How did that recognition validate your work and inspire you to continue your career and advocacy?
It’s always incredibly special when anyone recognizes your work because this work was very personal.
“The story was bigger than just me... It was an opportunity to let other people and victims know that they are not alone.”
What message do you hope viewers take away from Another Love Story about the realities of domestic violence?
With my crew members and the audience that came to the Premier, I realized that the story was bigger than just me. It was just bigger than then telling this painful story of what happened to my loved ones. It was an opportunity to let other people and victims know that they should not wait until the last minute to leave to ask for help and that they are not alone.
As an activist, what changes would you like to see in the legal framework surrounding domestic violence prevention?
After researching the issue of domestic abuse, I began examining the laws and government efforts to protect victims and support their recovery. What I found was alarming—the laws are outdated and inadequate. It’s disturbing to see how little has changed, and I believe we need to do more to address this issue. Additionally, domestic abuse is closely tied to mental health, making it crucial that we become more aware of our mental well-being. When you truly love someone, you don’t harm them.
While advocating for critical social issues, how do you balance your acting, writing, and producing career?
I do my best to use my art to bring awareness to social and historical issues and that’s how I find my balance.
“History and social issues are a big foundation of my writing process; we have so much history that is still untold.”
