Dear Reader,
Usually, I send out this update on the writer’s life on the third Saturday of every month. This month I was at my very first film festival, where my short film, NAMESAKE was shown during the 48-hour block. I thought it best to wait and give you a full account of the film festival.
Long-awaited, here is NAMESAKE. To watch, click the image below:
The festival itself was an eye-opening experience. With my “Fest Pass” in hand, over four days I went to fifteen different showings. These movies ranged from feature films to short films, documentaries to short documentaries, and animated shorts. There was even an animated short documentary.
I must admit, seeing that many films in a theater, while certainly a lot of fun, requires a level of stamina: keeping up with the myriad of narratives and unceasing tidal wave of moving pictures is like a marathon for your brain and eyes.
Endurance aside, attending this film festival was inspiring on a fundamental level. After most of the showings, there was a Q&A with the filmmakers. We heard from writers, actors, producers, directors, and editors. In the festival lounge, there were panels with filmmakers. The panel below, “Unstoppable Women,” interviewed women in the early stages of their journey as filmmakers.
So many of the films I saw were so incredible. To highlight a few I highly recommend:
(*My top favorites. Click titles for the trailers.)
Features
*American Fiction: Monk is a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
*Sunlight: Former-addict Leon (Ward) loves his best friend Iver (Carney) more than anything else in the world. Iver’s the reason he’s clean and romping about the place like a wild pinball. So when Iver gets a terminal diagnosis and decides to leave this earth early, Leon’s not about to let him go without a fight, even if it means being a royal pain in the arse. He forces Iver to agree to one last day in Dublin, hoping to convince him to live. Will he succeed? The outcome knocks both of them off course: some things are so wrong they’re right….
Simone: Woman of the Century: Explores the life of Simone Veil -- the famous French figure who survived the Holocaust and went on to become a leading politician, human rights campaigner, and feminist -- through a series of non-chronological memories.
Fresh Kills: The women of the Larusso crime family are no strangers to adapting to tough circumstances. In the wake of their world being unexpectedly uprooted, these women learn to fend for themselves in New York City during the late 20th century, even with the cards stacked against them.
Dream Scenario: Hapless family man Paul Matthews finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. When his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom.
Documentary
The Grab: An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet.
Shorts
Forgiving Johnny: A Publicis Sapient's second documentary collaboration with Academy Award-winning director Ben Proudfoot, spotlighting how the digitization of the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office case management system has helped reduce the collateral consequences of contact with the criminal justice system. Told through the lens of his public defender and with the help of his family, we explore Johnny’s journey to seek diversion and treatment rather than incarceration.
A Wedding Day: For newlyweds Brad and Jill, it seems the honeymoon's over before it begins. When an eccentric stranger stumbles into the couple’s first argument as man and wife, the day takes an abrupt turn and changes their lives forever.
Awakening: The First Day: Long ago, a god of Light traveled in search of belonging, but he could not escape the shadows in pursuit of him. In a journey through all the earthly realms, a fundamental truth is revealed once Light finally chooses to confront the Darkness. (Animated. No trailer available).
Attending this film festival lit a fire and cast a vision for my creative future. I moved to LA one year ago, and it feels fitting to celebrate the anniversary with a film in the San Diego International Film Festival. Who knows, maybe next year you will see a film “Written & Directed by” yours truly at a festival near you. Stay tuned.
Adventure Awaits