Estefania Bonilla Hernandez & Craig Whitney talk The Red Note movie with Dallas Film Podcast

In their recent appearance on the Dallas Film Podcast, writer/director Craig Whitney and producer Estefanía Bonilla Hernandez discussed the development of their feature-film project The Red Note, which builds on the award-winning true-crime podcast of the same name.

Whitney, who wrote and directed the podcast series, describes how the narrative of femicide in Ciudad Juárez transitioned into a cinematic screenplay. Bonilla Hernandez adds context about her role as Lead Producer: bringing the investigative depth of the audio series into a visual medium, managing cross-border logistics, language-dual production and assembling a bilingual team to reflect the subject’s transnational urgency.

The conversation touched on the podcast’s earlier success, its reach in Spanish and English markets, and how that built a built-in audience for the film adaptation. Whitney outlines the creative challenge of shifting from an episodic audio format to a feature-length visual narrative: retaining authentic voices, archival elements and narrative thrust without losing immediacy. Bonilla Hernandez mentions specific production hurdles: sourcing archival footage, rights clearances, coordinating between Mexico and the U.S., and ensuring the story remains respectful, rigorous and activist-oriented.

Both guests underline their aspiration for The Red Note to function not only as entertainment but as a catalyst for awareness and change, highlighting gender-based violence while offering a new model of collaborative, bilingual filmmaking. The episode is a valuable resource for producers and filmmakers interested in transmedia storytelling, international co-production and socially-engaged cinema.

Listen to Estefania Bonilla Hernandez and Craig Whitney's interview with the Dallas Film Podcast about The Red Note movie here, or click on the video below to watch the interview on YouTube.