HOW IT STARTED

In the Fall of 2010, I was sitting in the video tech lab, staring at a computer screen when my instructor, Mr. Humberto Perez, hung up the phone from what sounded like an exciting conversation. He turned to me and asked if I was free the next day for lunch to sit in on a meeting. A few of his colleagues were planning a visit which, in this particular case, would benefit with a student's perspective. 

Two independent producers by the names of Dana Glover and Michelle Robinson Carter, walked in, confident, hopeful, and with a crazy idea. As they sat in front of Mr. Perez and myself, they began by introducing themselves as filmmakers who frequent the International Cannes Film Festival. For the past 7 years, they’ve traveled to the beautiful coast of South France attending the festival as filmmakers and as sellers. With one of the most diverse and extensive film markets in the world, they believed this could an opportunity to pivot and instead, change the lives of a group of high school students. They brought a vision that could challenge our young creative minds, and inspire us to think about our future in a much broader examination. 

Their idea began to take form. A selection of leaders in the group of students was made. Screenplays were discussed with only one being chosen. We as a team had plan to produce and raise money for our short film that would bring us closer to that beautiful coast in Cannes, France. Eventually, everything became more than practical when you had experienced producers, instructors and a school district supporting this very unorthodox after school project.

In May of 2011, we got our acceptance letter into the Short Film Corner of the festival. This was a sigh of relief after a stressful production. We raised $10,000, enough money for 6 students and a few chaperones, to make our way across the pond. We boarded a plane and flew 14 hours to attend the largest film festival in the world for 5 days. 

THE REST IS SWEET,

SWEET HISTORY

2023

I think about this experience often. After 10 years of looking back, I’ve realized just how insane this moment was. It literally put me in a completely different view of what filmmaking and, most importantly, what a life of purpose could offer. If you pursue something with passion, patience and a little wit, certainly almost anything is within arms reach. Those of us who were fortunate enough to experience this trip were given a very rare opportunity that most, if not all, would never dream of.

While at the festival, it occurred to me that filmmaking began to feel like a purpose that the world could appreciate. That surge of kinetic energy all around me felt promising to an eager young man while walking around the Palais in Cannes. I tried to embrace that moment just before it was over and decided to photograph the moment so I could remember that feeling.

The image below has always reminded me to never doubt my path as a filmmaker in the face of adversity.