LIVING AN AMERICAN DREAM, 45min., USA
Directed by Clare McKay
Two Haitian brothers, along with family and friends, discuss their experiences growing up adopted in a ranching lifestyle and how rodeo plays a part. A story of faith, passion, drive and following your dreams no matter where you're from or plan to go.

https://www.instagram.com/livinganamericandreamdoc/

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?
This film was actually never meant to be but I'm a storyteller at heart. I started with the simple idea of creating short sizzle reels for my brothers who were avid bronc riders at the time and slowly but surely the story was born out of traveling around with them and capturing footage. I began to think how I could add more "meat" to what I was collecting and Living an American Dream was born.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Living an American Dream took 6 years to create.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

First child

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle was finding an editor or production company that understood my voice and vision without attempting to change the narrative. While I ultimately maintained creative control, the lack of collaboration made the process an "uphill battle" that I would not want to repeat.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Shock and pride. I will admit that although I am a proud and confident woman. I am an artist and nothing we do is ever perfect or deserving of praise because it's almost never "finished" the way we might envision in its entirety. So, I was certainly shocked to hear the positive feedback but in the end I felt immense pride and validation that I was being heard and seen. The audience who watched the film understood the deeper nuances that many miss and I felt so much pride in that. I worked 6 years on this project and so much of it was about piecing together a true and honest story, but there are subtleties within it that I worked hard to put there and in truth they aren't all that subtle. I'm beyond pleased with the reactions I received.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I knew I wanted to be in the film world before I was 10 years old. I remember sitting on the floor in my family's living room and we were watching a film, I don't remember which one but I just knew that that is what I wanted to do. Spielberg is the director I look up to the most, however. His ability to weave storytelling into a 3 hour masterpiece with lighting, sound, and cinematography is mesmerizing and something I aspire to.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I couldn't tell you. I have watched thousands of feature films, short films, documentaries and more. Some I have watched once or twice, other maybe three or four times but I don't believe there's one singular film that I return to repeatedly.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

A meet and greet with the filmmakers would be a wonderful networking opportunity and for those of us who may be newer or mid-career a chance to experience that kind of atmosphere. It would also be fun to be in a room with like minded creatives and have a chance to talk about the films we've created, what we plan to create, who inspires us etc. Perhaps having a keynote speaker, someone within the film world, to come and give a talk about the business or the creative side. Something to inspire us all.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

I enjoy FilmFreeway because it's user-friendly and uncomplicated. In a world of apps and websites all trying to stand out I think a solid site simply needs to do whatever job it was designed to do with the least amount of stress on the visitor.

10. What is your favorite meal?

One where I'm surrounded by family and friends, where we're all laughing and truly enjoying each other's company. We could be eating stale bread and drinking water and that is all I would need, the love.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Yes. I am currently in post-production on the newest short documentary and writing two other films. The first is a feature length narrative and the second is bouncing between a short docu-series or another feature length documentary.