Filmmaker Statement

This film was inspired by a conversation about childhood with my friend, music producer IMAKEMADBEATS. I've always been fascinated with how we are shaped by the experiences of our childhoods. His haunting memory of a hole in the yard of his childhood home stuck with me. As a boy, he feared it was where the Devil lived. I didn't know yet that this conversation would lead to a film. During the protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, I was reflecting on the nature of evil and how we learn to stand up against it, and my mind returned to this story of a child's inner anxiety about the Devil. This is a film for anyone who has found the courage to stand up for themself or others, whether that means facing down a childhood bully, or fighting against a system of oppression. It is also a celebration of friendship and community, of feeling loved and respected when we discover that someone else understands us and has our back.