Click to View Show 2 Hometown
MAKE ME A DOORWAY; (2012); Jesse Russell Brooks & Alexzenia Davis; TRT: 3.36
Three poems and their attitude: Make Me, My Silhouette, and A Lady’s Psyche written by Alexzenia Davis.
Can you summarize briefly what “Make Me A Doorway” is about?
Three visually distinctive women consider lost love during a rush of mixed media footage, from Super-8 film shot in the early 1990s New York City to Super high definition video in present day Los Angeles. Never talking on camera, these women allow the words of poet Alexzenia Davis to speak on their heart’s behalf.
How did you and Alexzenia Davis collaborate to make it?
“Make Me A Doorway” is a compilation of three poems. “Make me”, “My Silhoutte” and “A Lady’s Psyche” all written by Alexzenia Davis. She wrote the poems based on a series of conversations that we had regarding personality and, most importantly, identity. I mentioned to Alexzenia very early on that I wanted to make a film regarding our “salon” topic and she agreed. Over time we expanded our conversations to include personal examinations of past relationships and the mementos that are left with us/ such as photos and video of past friends, family, lovers. Alexzenia’s side of the exchange then took poetic form and I used those expressions to make the piece.
What was your technical process with this film?
Videographer Len Mazzone shot the first few days of the film with only natural sun light. When I began shooting with the actresses I followed suit. The film ultimately was shot on 3 different cameras both film and video.
Where did you shoot this film and who are the actors?
The film was shot between 1990 and 2012 in Los Angeles, California and Williamsburg, New York. The cast is made up of 3 women who each represent a place in time: Alexzenia Davis, Liala Petrone and Erika Ewing.
Viewers have said your work is cryptic. How would you explain this film to someone who was just introduced to your work?
I think you can comprehend the film if you are open and honest about understanding yourself and others. In this project you’ll get a chance to watch and hear Alexzenia Davis decode mis-remembrances and then unpacks some unusual stereotypes. She takes all of us on a journey that begins with an old film clip and ends at a doorway that leads us back to ourselves.
View Filmmaker Bio
