BEING HERE
Before leaving for Brooklyn, Valerie must navigate one last boat day with her sister.
About
format SHORT FILM
genre DRAMA, LGBTQ+
duration 10 MINUTES
location NORWALK, CT
Directors Statement
Katie Colwell
Although we grew up in the same environment, my sister and I turned out very dissimilar. Our different identities altered how we experienced our adolescence. She was popular, appreciated, and more accepting of where we lived while I was left feeling isolated, misunderstood, and desperate to escape. She became a mirror pressed up against my face–reflecting who I might have been had I not been a lesbian. But I never realized until later that I served as her mirror too; I saw someone who fit seamlessly into society, she saw someone with the courage to reject conformity in pursuit of authenticity. The story of Valerie and Riley mirrors me and my sister’s relationship, the friction of our different perspectives transforming into an understanding of our divergent paths.
As my second narrative directorial project, this is the most personal work I’ve ever undertaken. I am lucky enough to have brought this story to life with a majority 2SLGBTQ+ team who are dedicated to infusing this project with authenticity and depth and who have been so supportive, giving me the confidence to share such personal work professionally.
Stills
The Team
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Katie Colwell
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Katie (she/her) is a queer cinematographer and director based in Brooklyn, New York with a specialization in underwater work. Her distinctive visual approach, shaped by her extensive cinematography experience, shines through in her directorial works. And with a deep background in competitive swimming, Katie has embarked on the journey of underwater filmmaking, making it a highlight in her projects.
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Emily Massey
PRODUCER
As a producer and director with a background in visual language and training in collaboration, Emily (she/her) seeks to explore the ways that people navigate tumultuous times in their lives through the visual medium of filmmaking. Currently, she works in delivery at Bleecker Street, while freelancing as a producer and director.
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Janet Hyojo Oh
PRODUCER
Janet (she/her) is a Korean American producer and screenwriter based in NYC whose writing has been her personal creative outlet. With a BA in Cinema Studies from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Janet has immersed herself in storytelling that explores the depths of identity and culture in her quest for self-discovery.
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Kristiana Priscantelli
VALERIE
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Mary Kate Abner
RILEY
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Halle Kaufax
SABRINA
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Rutuja Sawant
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Rutuja (she/they) is a freelance Gaffer, Key Grip and Producer based in Brooklyn. Rue is passionate about the inclusion and positive representations of queer characters on the big screen and strives to voice it in her work. She grew up in Mumbai, the land of Bollywood and attended the University at Buffalo, graduating with her B.A. in Film.
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Winona Lu
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Winona (she/they) is a cinematographer, producer, and director from Australia and recent graduate of NYU Tisch. They are drawn to tell stories of family and self-discovery, to the images of our memories, and to cats in windows.
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Larissa Hanna
EDITOR
Larissa (she/they) is a first-generation Assyrian American who spent most of her time as a child watching movies with her mom and sister. She took her love for storytelling and graduated from Oakland University with a BA in Cinema Studies, specializing in Filmmaking and minoring in Communication. Larissa also studied Korean language and cinema at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.