THE NIGHT I LEFT AMERICA
Narrative Short, Drama, 14 min.
SYNOPSIS // While awaiting the results of his mother's visa renewal request, a teenage boy from Texas is confronted by memories he desperately wanted to leave behind in Uganda.
"The Night I Left America" unfolds the story of Kyamagero—a Ugandan teenager who, from a tender age, was captivated by the American dream. He always envisioned moving there with his family, creating a better life, and, perhaps, making a name for himself.
As fate would have it, years later, Kyamagero finds himself living with his mother in a rundown trailer in the heart of "nowhere" Texas. It wasn't the life he had imagined, but for him, it was an improvement from the struggles his family faced before.
But with the looming threat of his mother's work visa not renewing, Kyamagero stands at a crossroads. Does he cling to the promise and opportunity presented in America, or does he finally embrace the life of beauty and simplicity he left behind in Uganda.
Discover more about the film at www.thenightileft.com
OFFICIAL SELECTION & AWARDS
-Rhode Island International Film Festival
-HollyShorts (Oscar Qualifying) 🏆 Best Producer, Best Score
-Aesthetica Short Film Festival
-Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival
-Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
-Montreal International Black Film Festival 🏆 Special Mention
-Ashland Independent Film Festival
-BronzeLens Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
-Offline Film Festival 🏆 Audience Award, Best Short Film
-Monmouth Film Festival 🏆 Jury Award, Best Short Film
-Vancouver International Film Festival
-Filmfest Dresden
-Dublin International Film Festival
-SCAD Savannah Film Festival 🏆 Best Shorts Spotlight
-Bermuda International Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
-Cleveland International Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
-Filmocracy Fest 🏆 Audience Award, Best Short Film
-Athens International Film Festival
-LA Shorts Fest (Oscar Qualifying)
-Athens International Children's Film Festival
-Cordillera International Film Festival 🏆 Audience Award, Best Family Film
-Olympia International Children's Film Festival
-San Francisco Greek Film Festival
-Helsinki International Film Festival
-Edmonton Short Film Festival
-New York International Children’s Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
-San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
-Indy Film Festival
-Pittsburgh Shorts
-Maryland Film Festival
-Exit 6 Film Festival
-Children's Film Festival Seattle
-Sharjah International Film Festival For Children & Youth
-Stony Brook Film Festival
-I Will Tell International Film Festival
-BUFF International Film Festival
MESSANIA’S STORY
Documentary Short, Drama, 20 min.
SYNOPSIS // A childhood filled with laughter and friends, singing and games—cut short by the circumciser’s knife.
Growing up, Messania walked the same path as many young girls from Africa; undergoing female genital mutilation to make her marriageable to a stranger many years older than herself. From her Kenya home, Messania tells the story of a woman who found the determination to escape abuse, challenge harmful cultural norms, and sing a new song of freedom for herself and others.
Learn more at www.messaniafilm.com
Oscar Consideration!
Messania’s Story received and official selection the Oscar qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), HollyShorts Film Festival and the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF). It went on to take the Grand Prize at RIIFF, making an official contender for a 2021 Academy Awards nomination in the documentary short category.
QUI JE SUIS (Who I Am)
Narrative Short, Drama, 10 min.
SYNOPSIS // When confronted with a dark past, a man suffering from retrograde amnesia must choose between addressing the reality of the man he once was or embracing the new life ahead of him.
"Qui Je Suis" is my second short film, essentially my exploration of the question,
How much of what we do with our lives today is a reflection of the beliefs we have come to hold about ourselves, and how much is a genuine expression of who we truly are?
Originally, this story was conceived several years ago as a feature script. After shelving it for a season, my fascination was reignited when I conceived the idea of writing a solitary yet pivotal scene in the hero's journey toward the truest form of self-exploration. After crafting the scene, I realized that there was enough material for a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end.
