At last year's Cine Gear Expo in LA, the three 2023 recipients participated in a panel moderated by our Director of Rental Gabriel Mays. To listen to a recording of the panel, click below:
Watch trailers for their films and find out what else they've been up to since then:
Jesse Aragon
DP Jesse Aragon used support from the Fresh Perspectives in Cinematography Grant to film the short Fast Food. So far it has been screened at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, the HollyShorts Film Festival, and the Indie Memphis Film Festival, where it has been well received. More festival showings are coming up.
Additionally, Jesse completed filming the shorts 29 Palms, set in Joshua Tree, and Waiting for the End. The latter was filmed in Washington, DC with a story loosely based on the Director’s experience escaping from the communist Chinese government’s persecution of the Uyghur population. Both films are currently in post-production. Jesse also has a couple of features that should be entering the festival circuit soon.
See more of Jesse’s work at www.jessearagon.com, and follow him on Instagram @jessearagon7.
Siwei Li
With the Fresh Perspectives Grant, DP Siwei Li completed the film Broken Blvd, now showing in various festivals. This summer, in Tibet, Siwei wrapped filming his third feature. Siwei told us working on Broken Blvd was a beautiful experience. The film was captured with two ARRI ALEXA 35s, an ALEXA Mini and a set of ARRI Master Anamorphics. With action sequences, all-night shoots, and a very tight schedule, the film benefited from a multi-cam workflow and the enhanced sensitivity of the ALEXA 35.
See more of Siwei’s work at www.lisiweifilm.com, and follow him on Instagram @lisiweidp.
Junior Pereira
DP Junior Pereira filmed Not Afraid with support from the Fresh Perspectives in Cinematography Grant. The film was selected for the LA Skins Fest, the largest Native American film festival in the US, where it was shown during Native American Heritage Month. This timing not only celebrated the film, but also helped raise awareness of the important issues the film tackles. The production also received a fiscal sponsorship from Film Independent that will help them raise funds for distribution and build an audience. Recently, it was announced that the film would be included at the Windrider Summit & Sundance Film Festival Experience and recognized with the Indigenous Film and Culture Award.
Junior is currently working on a new feature, filming in North Carolina. See more of his work at www.cavalofilms.com/junior-pereira, and follow him on Instagram @juniorandpereira.
We look forward to seeing what's next for the Jesse Aragon, Siwei Li, and Junior Pereira, as well as the 2024 grant recipients who were just announced. In the spirit of the Fresh Perspectives in Cinematography Grant, we are sure they will continue to strive to break new ground and challenge the norms of visual story telling.
