Image by Anatashia Saminjo.
Natalie Jasmine Harris
GRACE
AbelCine Equipment Certificate Award
About the project: Thirteen-year-old Grace prepares for her baptism in the rural 1950's South; when she learns she must repent before the ritual, Grace contemplates her romantic feelings toward her friend Louise.
*Paying homage to the Black Southern Gothic tradition, we plan to shoot Grace on 16mm film. The funds from this grant will make a significant difference as we prepare for production by offsetting the costs of equipment needed to make Grace come to life.
About the filmmaker: Natalie Jasmine Harris is a Black queer filmmaker from Maryland currently based in NYC. Her creative work often exists within the coming-of-age genre, which she views as an essential tool to re-imagine liberation for young girls, the Black community, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Natalie received her BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in May 2020, where she graduated with Honors and received her department's award for Excellence in Community Service. She is a 2020 recipient of the Directors Guild of America’s Student Film Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, The Black Film Space 2020 Black Filmmaker Fund, and Outfest's 2021 Emerging Director Award. Passionate about the intersections between filmmaking and social justice, Natalie has also created a plethora of documentaries alongside the presidential campaigns for both Biden/Harris and Elizabeth Warren. No matter the genre of film she creates, Natalie hopes to create work that celebrates joy and the beauty of Black girlhood.