I was over the moon when very early this year, my short indie poetry film, LOOK UP, earned laurels in the WRPN Womens International Film Fest.

WRPN WWIFF is an IMDB-qualifying sister festival to the Depth of Field International Film Festival, a FilmFreeway “Top 100 Reviewed” festival alumni.

This is my first-ever film effort, a video collage (5min, 39sec) that recounts the story of a young woman in Seattle who struggles with the malaise and fatigue of multiple sclerosis until she finally makes herself go outside. The theme is forest bathing (‘shinrin-yoku‘) as a healing practice.

Since then, LOOK UP has earned a spot in two more film festivals, both which have also given the film laurels, and I am stoked and surprised and inspired to make more of these films!

West Sound Film Festival
(website)
When: August 2, 2024, 715pm experimental block
Where: Bremerton, WA (The Historic Roxy Theater)

I will be in attendance for the event in Bremerton as one of the filmmakers and hope to gather a small group of friends to join me in the screening (let me know if you wanna come!).

Freedom Festival International
(website)
When: August 22-25, 2024
Where: Columbia, SC (Spotlight Cinemas Capital 8)

If you attend the Freedom Festival International in Columbia SC and see my film, do let me know what you think!

Film credits

The film, my first production under the MCR Films label, features music from Old Waveplay, Andy Bell, and Paul Werner and sound effects from Epidemic Sound.

The live footage I recorded for the film was shot in and around Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood in October 2023: near Seattle Central Community College, adjacent to Cal Anderson Park, and in the courtyard of Chophouse Row.

Other acknowledgments

The film’s title is inspired by Seattle poet Scott Ferry‘s regular photo meme series, “Look Up, Look Down.”

I am also grateful to Alan Ren and Yeoryia Anastasiou for their feedback in post-production.