A young girl goes on a whimsical adventure and faces her fears while setting out to recover a sentimental family treasure.

Interview with Writer/Director Jenn Shaw

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Charlie and the Hunt is a beautiful and delicately constructed auditory and visually powerful narrative of Black joy. Charlie’s character is inspired by my niece and brother who both live with disabilities. This piece is an ode to the Black Joy Movement, which sprouted alongside Black Lives Matter. It celebrates the happiness and freedom that undergird social justice. I’ve created a short film that centers on the outdoors and adventure as an integral part of the Black experience. In this film, Black characters get the same happy narrative usually reserved for other cultures. In Charlie and the Hunt, culture and deafness are never directly mentioned but are championed by the sense of family and exploration.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

It's fun and heartwarming! A magnetic rhythm, a touch of humor, and pacing are maintained from the moment we meet Charlie spinning in her yard. This feeling is only enhanced as we view generational family photos and interactions between Charlie, her mother Lila, and their dog, Shirley. The overall visual style for the short feels energetic, bright, and textured with a multidimensional sense of wonder.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I’m enlivened by this short because it serves as an important reminder that children, no matter their race or challenges, deserve to enjoy the outdoors with a sense of freedom and pride. I’m not the first director to say that films portraying Black happiness are necessary components of the medium. But...I'm making the effort to do my part as a Black filmmaker.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script was a part of the Cameraderie program with Women in Media. The script expanded to be more visual and focused on how we could make sure that the deaf community was represented from CODA, hard-of-hearing, and deaf. Naturally, tweaks were made in development but the whimsical essence of the script never wavered.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Positive. It's been a universally related narrative that touched viewers and we are proud the film has been received so well.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Not yet.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Exposure, especially for a film that features the use of ASL by Black characters.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Sale agents and distributors would be ideal so we can find a place for the project after our film festival run. Also, more journalists to cover the film while it's on the festival run would be amazing.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I hope it's the start of seeing more ASL screen and that people of all ages are entertained by the content and enjoy the positive message of the story that.. love is never lost.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Was Charlie really scared of the bear or her mom?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm a part of the Queen Collective/Tribeca Studios doing a short film called Gaps that is being released in 2023. I'm also in advanced development on a feature called The Pill working with the production company Tinygiant.

Interview: January 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, 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

Charlie and the Hunt

A young girl goes on a whimsical adventure and faces her fears while setting out to recover a sentimental family treasure.

Director: Jenn Shaw

Producer: YJ Meira, Anita M. CAl and Dannielle Dormer

Writer: Jenn Shaw

About the writer, director and producer:

JENN SHAW is an award-winning filmmaker specializing in sports, coming-of-age and dramady content. In 2022, she released two short films I Won The Lottery and Charlie and the Hunt. Her short film Gaps will premiere in 2023 as part of the Queen Collective with P&G and Tribeca Studios. Currently, she’s in development with the production company Tinygiant on a feature film titled The Pill.

YJ MEIRA is a mindful connector & tech-savvy producer primarily interconnecting the areas of business development and public affairs with films and special projects. Based in Los Angeles, she has and continues to produce both documentary and narrative films with award-winning & Oscar-qualifying directors including the feature documentary Cesar’s Last Fast & short narrative Where We Begin to name a few.

ANITA M. CAL's first screenplay was picked up by Showtime, Inc. while she was a second-year graduate student. Since gaining an entryway into the business through writing, Anita has gone on to produce, line produce and direct films that have aired on national television, cable and domestic home video.

DANNIELLE DORMER oversaw all aspects of live-action and commercial production. she has built healthy business working across the globe; producing large marketing shoots of up to 60 cast members and 100-person crews domestically and internationally. She also produced the mini-documentary $15 Kicks, with Executive Producer Spike Lee and directed by Jenn Shaw, for ESPN Films, that was accepted at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in the American Showcase, Emerging Filmmakers category.

Key cast: Nifeoluwa Ramroop (Charlie), Lauren Ridloff (Lila), Robert Artz (Neighbor), Oscar (Shirley)

Looking for: distributors, sales agents

Facebook: Charlie and the Hunt

Twitter: @charliehuntfilm

Instagram: @charliehuntfilm

Hashtags used: #adventureawaits #cath #charileandthehunt

Website: www.charlieandthehunt.com

Other: IMDb

Made in association with: Women in Media, NBC Universal

Funders: https://www.gofundme.com/f/charlie-and-the-hunt-film, https://seedandspark.com/fund/charliehuntfilm

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Slamdance/Salt Lake City Utah, January 25, Slamdance/Park City Utah, January 26 and virtual, Seattle Children’s Film Festival/Seattle/in-person and virtual