Filmmaker Statement

First, it’s important to establish that this isn’t a film about Sundance. It wasn’t made as a “screw you Sundance for not accepting my film”. To be honest, I’ve never submitted to Sundance. There’s a running belief among the black students in my program that these bigger film festivals don’t really care for our stories, especially when they’re told by us, which may or may not be true. However, this film is about being black and navigating feelings of jealousy, anger, and resentment in the filmmaking world, while your white peers launch their careers from stories about your community. I wish I could say I don’t care about my work being seen or festivals, but the truth is I do. And to be honest, it hurts to see your white classmates make work, work that is much less truthful than your own, about your community and be celebrated, meanwhile the work you make is discarded. On a practical level, this isn’t the final cut. The film needs a final trim, a good sound mix, and a color grade.