Filmmaker Statement

As a queer director my intent is to bring the stories of my community out into the open so that our history does not exist only within oral tradition, but is also part of a collective history for the broader public where our voices are not always heard. Told in first person narration, the story will unfold in Pete’s own voice. Through her, we meet 8 year old Pete. As she tells this story, we are taken back to that first moment in time where she is publicly confronted about her identity. Creatively, I am trying to change the rules. I am attempting to create a 3D animated film that brings us back to the early stop motion and 2D animation of the era Pete grew up in. Diverging from either the hyper realistic animated films, or over exaggerated very stylized cartoons, I am creating a look which marries our current technology with the appeal of ink and watercolor illustrations.