Filmmaker Statement

In 1999 I discovered Jennifer Michael Hecht’s poem "September." It lived with me for 20+ years. Then came March, 2020. Locked down in my Harlem apartment, I read about how the pandemic was stirring up memories for those who lived through the darkest part of the AIDS epidemic—how similar the feelings of loss and fear, how drastically different the government response when it's not a “gay plague.” And I found my own memories surfacing—of a partner's positive diagnosis, and how it rippled through our lives. I'd often escape pandemic isolation with walks through the beauty and history of Central Park, and I found my mind returning to the poem I first read in 1999. Though it has no narrative per se, the story suddenly felt crystal clear to me. September is a meditation on loss and regret—but also a tribute to the life force of New York City. And it’s an ode to a generation of lost queer elders who fought, and died, so that others might live in a world where love—not fear—rules the day.