November 19, 2020 – Los Angeles, CA
Cinema Eye Honors announced today a brand new initiative aimed to uplift emerging filmmakers who saw their festival runs impacted by the global pandemic.
Stay Focused 2021 consists of twelve new films, made by filmmakers in the early stage of their careers, who lost out on the opportunities for exposure and community bonding that often result from a robust festival run. As part of the new initiative, Cinema Eye is pledging to keep a spotlight on these twelve films, with a goal of creating in person opportunities for these filmmakers after the pandemic subsides and people are allowed to gather.
As a first step for the initiative, Cinema Eye announced that they are planning to screen the twelve films in Los Angeles at the new Vidiots Theatre in Eagle Rock, which is scheduled to open in late 2021.
The twelve films selected for the Stay Focused 2021 Initiative are:
The American Sector | Directed by Courtney Stephens and Pacho Velez
Bulletproof | Directed by Todd Chandler
Down a Dark Stairwell | Directed by Ursula Liang
Jacinta | Directed by Jessica Earnshaw
Landfall | Directed by Cecilia Aldorondo
Mayor | Directed by David Osit
PS Burn This Letter Please | Directed by Michael Seligman and Jennifer Tiexiera
Sisters With Transistors | Directed by Lisa Rovner
Socks on Fire | Directed by Bo Mcguire
Stray | Directed by Elizabeth Lo
Through the Night | Directed by Loira Limbal
Two Gods | Directed by Zeshawn Ali
The films for the initiative were selected by members of the Cinema Eye Feature Film Nominations Committee whose own festivals were affected by the mass cancelation of in person events earlier this year.
The Stay Focused 2021 Initiative was announced during Cinema Eye’s 2020 Fall Lunch (At Home).
