Athena Film Festival - Prudence
Prudence is about a dishonorably discharged World War 2 nurse, stricken by grief and crippling dementia. Who seeks out her beloved to dance with one last time.
Interview with Writer/Director Angela Jude
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made this film because I wanted to showcase two communities I'm a part of, but from the perspective of people in those communities that are rarely shown. I love history that pertains to black women and it has always been fascinating to me that black women have been in almost every war, yet little has been archived about them. I wanted to show black servicewoman and I wanted to show a sacrifice being made and being part of the LGBTQ community. It was a no-brainer to bring in the aspect of the love of a person vs love of country.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
One should watch this film so they may experience a love story that they have never seen on screen before. Representation matters!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
My film one could say is very niche, but the universal theme of love conquers all, is so powerful that it works to make this short a film everybody could enjoy.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I think when initially writing it, I tried to cram so much of the historical significance, really letting the audience know about black nurses in World War 2 and over the course of development it became clear that if the love story felt real and authentic than the nurse aspect could be simply intertwined so that the audience could understand the sacrifice Prudence made for the woman she loved.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It has been very heartwarming, the feedback. A lot of people have expressed that they have never seen a film about elderly black queer female love and so a lot of the time they end up thanking me, which is so sweet. Another common feedback is that I should make it into a feature film, where we get to see the two girls fall in love. Which I never considered until the festival circuit, so we will see!
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I wouldn't say that the feedback challenged the point of view of the film, but it did surprise me as a person how people so different from me, politically, socially, economically, have seen this film and loved it so much and that's just a testament to the power of film. It is able to create a dialogue and change points of view.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want people to see it and create a dialogue with others about it. Maybe seeing this will make it easier for some to understand queer people more or perhaps it will inspire others to take a look at elderly people and the stories they potentially can share. I hope they see strong black actresses on screen and engage with the movement of making film inclusive.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Sales agents, buyers, distributors.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like for people to really embrace these characters and maybe view queer woman and elderly woman differently when it comes to love. I know a lot of people cry at my film, but if they are happy tears than I welcome that and I hope they find solace in that. Also, I hope people recognize that there are women, women of color out here telling stories. I once heard a producer say he just doesn't think women of color like film enough to want to be a part of the industry and that is so false. We are here, but we simply need to be afforded the same opportunities as everybody else.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
In a world that does not see you or your full humanity, is love the most important thing? You're a queer black woman 50 years ago do you choose love or the status quo and simply just hang onto the memory of what once was?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Angela is in a post on a mini-doc about the voguing scene in Mexico City and also finishing up her feature script about a queer black girl living in a white suburb in the Midwest. Lauren Mok, the producer, is producing music videos in Los Angeles.
Interview: March 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIAQ+, scifi, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Prudence
Prudence is about a dishonorably discharged World War 2 nurse, stricken by grief and crippling dementia. Who seeks out her beloved to dance with one last time.
Length: 9 minutes
Director: Angela Jude
Producer: Lauren Mok
Writer: Angela Jude
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Buyers
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/longliveprudence/
Instagram: vashti_jude
Made in association with: OutFest
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Vimeo