Blue Hour (2023)
Synopsis
Two personal journeys intersect when a struggling young photographer is hired for a cheap last minute portrait gig. The unfolding photo session, while transient, leaves an indelible mark on both women.
Award-wining and BAFTA-qualified, Blue Hour is the first partnership between the AFI Directing Workshop for Women and Women in Film and had its World Premiere at the 2023 Brooklyn Film Festival followed by a West Coast Premiere at HollyShorts.
Awards
Baltimore International Black Film Festival - Best Drama Short
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best American Indie Short
Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Best Film, Best Actor
Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival - Audience Award: Best Student Short
SCAD Savannah Film Festival - Student Narrative Shorts Jury Award
Desertscape International Film Festival - Best Student Film
Fargo Film Festival - Pat Hansen Award for Best Screenplay
Durango Film Festival - Best Live Action Narrative Short
Short. Sweet. Film Fest - Best Student Film
Festivals
Blue Hour is a meditation on the intensity of transitory moments, the fleeting exchanges and interactions that have the power to alter your mood, day or life. Often it’s only with the clarity of hindsight that we can identify these instances. Rarely there are times where you sense the tectonic shift in tandem with the moment. René and Jaz are aware of the emotional exchange passing between them. And we, like them, are left to wonder how this encounter will leave an indelible mark and shape the course of their lives.
Director's Statement
Anchorage International Film Festival - Alaska Premiere
Baltimore International Black Film Festival - Maryland Premiere *Award Winner
Berkeley Springs Film Festival - West Virginia Premiere
Block Island Film Festival - Rhode Island Premiere
Blue Whiskey International Film Festival - Illinois Premiere
Brooklyn Film Festival - World Premiere
Buffalo International Film Festival - Western New York Premiere
California Women’s Film Festival
Capital City Film Festival
Catalina Film Festival
Cleveland International Film Festival (Oscar-qualifier)
Cinema on the Bayou - Louisiana Premiere
Cucalorus Film Festival - North Carolina Premiere
Desertscape Film Festival - Utah Premiere
Durango Independent Film Festival
East Lansing Film Festival - Michigan Premiere
Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival - International Premiere
Fairhope Film Festival - Alabama Premiere
Fargo Film Festival - North Dakota Premiere *Award Winner
Filmfort - Idaho Premiere
First City Film Festival - Kansas Premiere
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival *Award Winner
Gasparilla International Film Festival
George Lindsey UNA Film Festival
HollyShorts Film Festival - West Coast Premiere (Oscar-qualifier)
Indie Street Film Festival - New Jersey Premiere
McMinnville Short Film Festival - Pacific Northwest Premiere
Miami International Film Festival
Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Midwest Premiere *Award Winner
Montana Film Festival - Montana Premiere
Montgomery Film Festival
Myrtle Beach Film Festival - South Carolina Premiere
Norwalk Film Festival - Connecticut Premiere
Norwich Film Festival - UK Premiere (BAFTA-qualifier) *Award Nominee
Omaha Film Festival - Nebraska Premiere
Orlando Film Festival - Florida Premiere
Pan African Film Festival (Oscar-qualifier) *Award Nominee
Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival *Award Winner
Phoenix Film Festival
Poppy Jasper International Film Festival
Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival (Oscar-qualifier)
San Jose International Short Film Festival
SCAD Savannah Film Festival - Southeast Premiere *Award Winner
Seattle Black Film Festival - Washington Premiere
Sedona International Film Festival
Short. Sweet. Film Fest - Ohio Premiere
Sonoma Film Festival
Tucson Film Festival - Southwest Premiere
Vail Film Festival - Colorado Premiere
Washington D.C. International Film Festival - D.C. Premiere
The Women’s Film Festival - Pennsylvania Premiere
Yountville Short Film Festival
Credits
Doyin Domingo as Rene
Diamond Taylor as Jaz
Jabari Wredd as Larry
Paulina Bugembe as Nurse
Written and Directed by J.D. Shields
Produced by Diana Ward, Lauren Avinoam and Maya Korn
Co-Producer Shannon Kummer
Executive Producer Katie Leary
Cinematography by Bethany Michalski
Production Design by Eve Axness
Costume Design by Tyler Hollingsworth
Edited by Katelyn Wright
Original Music by Daniel Walter
Casting by Kristi Lugo
Line Producer Sue-Ellen Chitunya
Unit Production Manager Mei-le Apalucci
First Assistant Director Maria Valdez
Script Supervisor Danica Tan
First Assistant Camera Arman Meinecke
Second Assistant Camera Eliana Mullins, Lin Chen
Gaffer Liz Charky
Key Grip Marcelina Stardust
Best Boy Isaac Crane
Location Sound Mixer Tyler Shields
Art Director Ana Coccioletti
Production Assistant Matt Gall
Stills Photographers April Maxey, Quinton Lund
VFX Overmind Studios
VFX Artists Tobias Kummer, André Christopher Gerhardt
Digital Intermediate FotoKem Creative Services
Digital Intermediate Colorist Alastor Arnold
Digital Intermediate Producer Miten Soni
Sound Editor & Design Klaire Zhang
Sound Re-Recording Services provided by Formosa Group
Re-recording Mixer Emilie Corpuz
Post Sound Executive Jennifer Bowman-Gallagher
Camera Package courtesy Arri Rentals
Camera Rentals BeCine
G&E Rentals Cinelease
Unit Rentals Set Stuff
Catering B+G Catering, Rise and Shine Catering
Special Thanks
April Maxey, April Moreau, Ashley Chrisman, Christina Choe, Christina Bryant, Deborah Marcano, Em Weinstein, Eric Pumphrey, Frederick Thornton, John Douglas Shields, Kelly Pike, Lucas McNelly, Lucretia Stinnette, Melanie Rodger, Melissa Verdugo, Michelle Krusiec, Maikiko James, Mar Angélica Molina, Nicole Gregory, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), Patty Garcia, Rachel Summer, Rebecca Murga, Sean Hackett, Stacy Rose
© MMXXIII American Film Institute
Social
Follow Blue Hour on Instagram: @bluehrfilm
