2021 Emerging Artists Showcase
Checkbox: Other
Directed by Maddy Santamaria
Short Film Synopsis
“What are you?” is a question that most people aren’t usually asked in a normal day-to-day conversation. Most people can be put off or confused by such a question, which is understandable in all cases, but being biracial it is most times the first question asked right after your “what is your name?”
When researching statistics on discrimination thousands of Google searches result in case study after case study comparing races against one another in the search for and understanding of racism, but when researching statistics specifically on biracial racism the pickings are very slim. Being biracial is the definition of a “gray area” because you are considered a minority but you also have “white privilege” which results in the lack of affirmation from either side. You are everyone yet no one all at the same time.
Today’s society burns bright with the fires with desire for equality, as it should, however those of mixed races fall between the cracks. At a young age we have to make the decision to choose one race to identify with in hopes of fitting in, we are reminded daily that we aren’t enough of one race when the other race is jokingly used against us, and when we want to speak out against racism we ask ourselves “am I even allowed to?”
“Checkbox: Other” will bring light to the biracial stories that have been left in the shadows during the ongoing fight for equality to unify those that have always felt like they never fit in anywhere by showing society we can stand together despite our race. It will be an animated biographical documentary combining art styles from both races that illustrate a significant point in time that changed their life being biracial.
“What are you?” is a question that most people aren’t usually asked in a normal day-to-day conversation. Most people can be put off or confused by such a question, which is understandable in all cases, but being biracial it is most times the first question asked right after your “what is your name?”
When researching statistics on discrimination thousands of Google searches result in case study after case study comparing races against one another in the search for and understanding of racism, but when researching statistics specifically on biracial racism the pickings are very slim. Being biracial is the definition of a “gray area” because you are considered a minority but you also have “white privilege” which results in the lack of affirmation from either side. You are everyone yet no one all at the same time.
Today’s society burns bright with the fires with desire for equality, as it should, however those of mixed races fall between the cracks. At a young age we have to make the decision to choose one race to identify with in hopes of fitting in, we are reminded daily that we aren’t enough of one race when the other race is jokingly used against us, and when we want to speak out against racism we ask ourselves “am I even allowed to?”
“Checkbox: Other” will bring light to the biracial stories that have been left in the shadows during the ongoing fight for equality to unify those that have always felt like they never fit in anywhere by showing society we can stand together despite our race. It will be an animated biographical documentary combining art styles from both races that illustrate a significant point in time that changed their life being biracial.
About
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Maddy Santamaria (Director, Animator, Editor)
Madison Santamaria is a Director, Editor, and Motion Graphics Artist. Her passion drives her to share the stories left too often untold, showcasing minorities of gender and race at the heart of each of her films. As a female, Asian-American director, she stands proudly as part of the movement towards equal representation, proving that regardless of who you are or what you look like, your story deserves to be told. She has written and directed short films in genres like: Drama, Food and Culture, Action/Comedy and Animation. She was also awarded the Heartland Emmy Scholarship in 2020. "Growing up a woman who is half Filipino and half White, I have always felt like I fall into the cracks. Discrimination is not something that is unfamiliar to me, however I know that I have been blessed enough to not have the worst. I chose to pursue becoming a Director because I want to give a chance to those unable to, to share their stories with the world. I strive to show diversity however I can in my films, whether it is the storyline, the cast, the crew. I believe that change in the Film and Television industry needs to be made and I hope to be a part of that movement. Being a woman of mixed race, I seek to inspire and empower those around me so they can see that their lives and their stories are just as significant and deserve to be told. I am driven to challenge myself as a filmmaker to explore non-traditional ways of film making to tell the legends of life as we know to put me one step closer to my dream of becoming a diversity-advocate Director." - Maddy Santamaria |
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Cassie LeFevre (Producer, Sound Recordist)
Cassie LeFevre is a proud Colorado native, a fierce dog-lover, a self-proclaimed sports-addict, and an ardent creator who strives for originality in every project she undertakes. Her focus is primarily on writing & producing, but she has branched to various roles throughout her young career. Her work has screened worldwide, earning awards such as Horsetooth International Film Festival Audience Choice and Best “Next Generation” Short Film, Prague International Indie Film Festival Best Young Filmmaker, Canada Shorts Award of Distinction, and Reykjavík Visions Film Festival Best Comedy Short. She is currently studying film and television production at the University of Colorado-Denver, where she enrolled to nourish her passion for storytelling. |
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Bonnie Clarisse Utter (Musical Composer) Bonnie Utter has worked in a wide range of aspects in the entertainment industry from live sound and studio engineering, filmmaking, photography, stage and AV, and performance. Her diverse background has brought her across the country from Dallas where she grew up, to New York City where she studied musical theatre at CAP21, to New Mexico where she began her film career, and finally to Denver Colorado in 2017. Bonnie is the type to always be working on multiple projects at once, she currently studies recording arts and film production and plays with her original band: Strange Dame. |
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Paisley Rose Amrein (Featured Guest)
Paisley Rose Amrein is a woman tattoo artist and a black activist painter. She paints to be as inclusive as possible with the compassion she makes and works hard to make her clients happy with the tattoos she creates for them. She is a local Denver Colorado artist and was born and raised in the city. She inspires to continue to improve her skills in art and tattooing and maybe one day be worldwide known for both. |
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