Amariyah Mallory 
True Star held its annual short film premiere this past weekend at Columbia College. It was an event to remember, with a panel discussion moderated by Gary Langfield, Jr., featuring the director, La’Tia N. Owens and the main actors of her film.
For three years now, True Star has brought its star student-created films to screen in collaboration with Flip the Script, a filmmaking fellowship in which the participants engage in a screenwriting competition after receiving hands-on coaching from Eunice Shelley, a professional writing coach and the creator of Flip The Script. These True Star fellows were part of a 6-week youth program that took place over the summer at True Star’s headquarters in Bronzeville.
The featured short film, Stay, follows two siblings, a brother and sister, who move into a foster home after the passing of their mother. The brother and his foster mother get into an altercation that results in the sister calling 911 and him being sent to a mental institution. After his birthday, the brother, played by Cayen Martin, fails to return home and the sister, portrayed by Genesis Denise Hale, decides to get herself admitted into the same mental institution so that she can break him out. Other cast members include Marquis Sewell, Audrey Allen, and Cynthia Abernathy.
Owens, the writer and director, commented on her experience and what inspired her to create the film.“You know, it’s crazy, because I feel like people think I have this deep answer. I just came up with, like, the log line, and I thought about a relationship, brother and sister. And I feel like I wanted to do something that the African American community deals with, which is mental health and I wanted to incorporate that. That was the biggest inspiration for it. But I feel as I was going through the process, I was like, ‘Hold on.’ I started doing my research. I was like, ‘Okay, now I really gotta, you know, I really gotta get in my bag.’”
That is exactly what Owens did with her film, receiving amazing reviews from audience members and her cast.
Martin, who played young Simba on Broadway in The Lion King, shared more about his filming experience and what it was like to have Owens as a director.
“Honestly, she was a great director,” Martin shared. “She is very clear and if she doesn’t like something, and she wants something to be better, she is going to let you know. And I like that, she’s straightforward. And she’s just a great director. She has a great vision, and she made a great film.”
Martin’s co-star, Hale, shared her experience working on this film in comparison to her True Star films in the past and what made this one extremely special for her.
“My favorite part about making the movie was working with the cast. I had yet to work with Cayen, or I had yet to work with Cayen in a short film that I was doing. I’ve been with True Star for a while, so getting to do that this time I felt like was really cool.”
Hale continued to speak on Owens as a director. “I think that La’Tia is really good at expressing her ideas and getting across what she wants to be seen on the screen. And because she is so young, I feel like that makes it even better, because she knows what she wants at an early age.”
This was just the first step for Owens. In the future she has big plans for her film and her journey as a director.
“I want to submit this film to some film festivals and continue writing and directing my own work. I especially want to have a feature length film.”
Big thanks to all those who came out to support this event. If you would like to help future filmmakers in the True Star program, click HERE to donate! Don’t forget to check out the Stay recap below.
By Amariyah Mallory, Junior, Whitney Young
IG| Dancemari_
*Madisyn Goldbolt contributed to this article.
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