We are moving stories

“Rodeos, cowboys, yes we’ve all seen them on television and in movies. But what about a cowgirl? And one who is African-American? And did you know that not one African-American female has ever made it to the National Finals Rodeo? Her journey to break that barrier and her charming Southern family makes this a feel-good, worthwhile experience. ”

“Hopefully it will show that a powerful story can be told in an a unique way, without scaring off viewers and still be very entertaining. Unfortunately in our business, the people that finance films don’t always understand or relate to stories, unless it’s something they’ve already seen many times before or there is huge star attached to it, that they feel will automatically sell it.

This film shows that WOMEN, and PEOPLE OF COLOR, in front of and behind the camera make provocative work that people want to see. ”

“She is the what we see; what we notice first. The outside appearance, the perception - a woman yelling in a park, a woman going to work - she is a description. We either accept or dismiss her according to what we are comfortable with. She presents herself to the world in the best way she knows how and that is what we see. On the inside, however, is her invisibleness, her fullness, her pain, her joy, her need to connect. Her voice. Her humanness.”

“Amongst many other things, I wanted to explore how some deeply personal experiences/perspectives and collective traumas intertwine to affect our connections (or lack of connections) as human beings.”

“As a filmmaker I’m intentional about capturing the inner lives of black women and women of color. To make more mirrors for us. This film explores the culture of silence amongst women and the lengths we take to protect one another, and wonders who it’s actually protecting. ”

“The idea for Moko Jumbie started with my grandmother in San Fernando, Trinidad, who insisted that my family, who had emigrated to England, Canada, and the United States, gather at her house in Trinidad each year. We told each other stories and laughed into the night. These memories have created the fabric from which I draw inspiration for my work. With Moko Jumbie, it was important for me to show the Caribbean in a non-cliched way, emphasizing its moodiness, its melancholy, and the dualities of life and death, beauty and decay. The love story in the film questions the politically stratified rift between people of African and Indian descent, a legacy of colonialism. Because there are so few feature films set in Trinidad, it was also important for me to incorporate certain cultural elements, like music and folklore.”

“Someone mentioned to me that they were surprised it was so funny especially with the topic at hand. My response is life is never just one thing. We don’t wake up one day and know it is a tragic day. Life is layered and scripts should allow for that without feeling like they have to choose a genre and stick to it.”

“During its inception I first wrote this script to be filmed in NY. I changed and justified the location being in New York, which worked. Until I realized that this story really needed to take place where it was written and that was Jamaica. I also worked on developing the two women and their experiences for the audience to connect with, as they become the victims of circumstance.”

“I also wanted to tell the story of a black woman, as where I’m from in Québec, diversity is still an issue in terms of representation on screen and behind the camera. The story is not about her and her blackness, it’s a very universal story of how she decides to take her life into a whole new direction, and I find those narratives are important to tell.”

“Personally, as a black woman, the story resonates so much with myself and others who face similar situations, especially when it comes to dealing with natural hair and micro-aggressions we face in our respective fields and in every day life. Universally, people can ultimately relate to Maya, our main character, being that she is someone who is simply attempting to overcome feelings of inadequacy and navigating that ‘how do I push myself to be my best self’ space.”

“With one white parent and one black parent I grew up very confused. The black kids would always tell me I was white and the white kids would always tell me I was black. To me, being biracial comes with its own struggle that is almost never talked about. I made this film because I want to talk about it... The feedback so far has been amazing. People are laughing at the jokes, relating to the characters, and asking questions at the end.”

“Feedback has been extremely affirming for me. I accomplished what I set out to do; help viewers feel seen, connected and part of a strong global community and also deepen the audience’s understanding and empathy about an issue that is, generally speaking, quite secretive and covert.”

“Everyone who’s seen the film didn’t remain neutral. Both people of color and Caucasians alike felt strong emotions and goosebumps. Everyone had to exhale deeply after the last frame. A big part of it has to do with Débora’s performance. She’s so intense and so truthful to her emotions that you just cannot not feel her pain all the way through. ”

“ After being diagnosed with Alopecia in 2015, I navigated the various stages of hair loss, which ignited a profound shift in my perception of beauty. As a Black woman, I’ve spent a significant portion of my life being aware of my hair, not for my comfort, but for the convenience of others. When Alopecia divested me of my hair, it also divested me of societal expectations, allowing me to redefine my personal standard of beauty. This narrative, one of self-acceptance and liberation, is a story I believe must be shared.”

“If you type “Black women least likely to” into Google, a slew of articles come up about marriage, romantic partnership, and dating. These articles point to statistics that tell black women that we’re the least desirable on dating apps and the least likely to get married – WOMP, WOMP.

I wanted to create a relatable, funny, empowered black woman protagonist who is hopeful for a romantic partnership while still finding fulfillment flying solo. Joey is unlucky in love but still in love with life, obvi…it’s the 21st cent.”

“The short answer to why I made the film is because I wasn’t editing the type of fashion work I wanted to cut. So I made the film I ideally wanted to cut. The scenic route reason why is, along with not feeling fulfilled with the kind of projects I was cutting at the time, I also wanted to make a fashion film featuring Black models focusing on Black beauty, because even after allllll this time, I still don’t see enough Black models featured in the fashion and beauty world. And I’m not seeing Black models featured in fashion films. It’s verrrrry rare! I also miss when fashion was fun! It’s boring now lol!! Everything is the same and everyone looks the same.”

“Our characters have to ask deep self reflective questions. What do they want for their lives and is it worth it to disrupt their families to forge ahead? These are our questions, LGBTQ people have to answer every single day. Are we willing to be ourselves 100% in our neighborhoods, at work and in our families. Do we want to disrupt the family reunion and remain in the closet or do we want to be free. It’s still a struggle for many people. I heard someone said “coming out is old”. It’s not. Some people are still living in emotional closets. There are still places that we can’t be 100% ourselves.”

“In the past few years, everyone has been struggling with isolation and discord as the biases woven into the fabric of our society have come to light. QUEEN OF THE DESERT seeks to highlight human connection in the face of those challenges.”

“This film was conceived and produced in the throes of the pandemic. With immense uncertainty around our collective future, I found myself wondering what my place is in the world as an artist and storyteller. I believe that it really is a time when the world needs hope and strength and it is our duty as storytellers to provide that. ”

“While our family in Aloha experiences a different set of complications, my personal experience was the catalyst that allowed me to make this film. It served as a stark reminder that despite all of our many technological advancements, childbirth is still a marvel and a miracle. My hope is that each person who watches our film will have a greater sense of how special every child is, no matter their birth story.”

“In this film personal theme center around the human need of finding a place to belong and how one deals with the sense of hopelessness in the face of larger policies and ideas. In a universal sense, the themes are ones of learning that words have more power than you think, and one person can create unforeseen ripples throughout the world.”

“I was inspired by the host of Black “friend” characters I repeatedly saw on screen as I binge-watched movies and TV shows early in the pandemic. Spike Lee popularized the term “magical negro” for these characters in 2001 and I was frankly surprised to see so many of them in 2021. ”