ECHOES OF DREAMS, 84min., USA
Directed by Vanessa Mariveles
Reyna, a struggling DJ in Silicon Valley, has to pivot her career in order to survive. Having the worst year ever, she is forced to join the "gig economy" so she can pay rent while living with her pushy mother. While dating women for the first time, she finds herself in comical situations. Through determination, self-discovery, and the power of faith, Reyna learns to overcome adversity and finds her true calling and love.

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Director Statement
Echoes of Dreams is a story based on true events from my life. I can’t make this shit up! I came out in 2016 and broke up with my long time boyfriend of 7 years who was adamant about me not liking women sexually. The dating scenes in the movie are based on my actual dating experiences. I had my first girlfriend in 2016 which ended a year later after my 30th birthday.

That’s when things started to spiral downward. I had quit my job as an admin because I couldn’t stand my boss and decided to get my real estate license to become an agent during the day and Djing at night and weekends. I gave myself 6 months until I had to find a real job. Six months passed, and I couldn’t get any clients or sell a house, so I had to live off of unemployment benefits and work for Doordash. I was struggling to pay rent while living with my mom and younger brother who was still in high school. At the same time, I was maxing out credit cards to go on dates because I was genuinely looking for love. I was also trying to take my mind off of my ex. One day, I had an epiphany about buying gold with my credit cards and selling it for cash so I could pay the rent.

After dating around and being disappointed with no connection to anyone, I had a surprisingly amazing epic date with my new girlfriend (now wife). As things progressed with my new girlfriend, I eventually moved in with her and still tried to help my mom pay rent. Being in the Silicon Valley, the only thing I knew was it was a big tech hub, so I took classes and joined meetups to learn to code. As an artist, that was the hardest thing I ever did. One day, I learned about Product Design and UX Design which I had no idea existed. Soon, I learned to create my UX design portfolio by watching Youtube videos and reading a bunch of articles. I had no formal training and was self taught. I finally got a contractor job after being frustrated with the universe for constant rejections. Once I got a job, I felt a huge weight lift off of my shoulders. Even though I was starting this new job and would have steady income, I still could not keep up with all my credit card payments, so I had no choice but to file for bankruptcy.

Seven years later, everything is cleared and discharged and I am living my best life with my wifey by my side! I have paid my mom back for everything she has helped me with when I was struggling. I hope this story inspires others to keep persevering and not lose sight of their goals and dreams.