AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL '32

⠀⠀⠀⠀𝐈 𝐀𝐌 [EXODUS 3:14]. ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

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AFF32, what can I say? 

My second year attending, and I cannot tell you how much I needed this experience. ⠀

My younger self is still on cloud nine. ⠀

All of you have inspired me in ways that I cannot express. There are no words to describe how appreciative I am to have walked away with so many (new) creative friends. My only hope is that I gave at least 10% of what you've all given to my experience at AFF. ⠀

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𝗔𝗦 𝗔 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥 — you spend so much time alone in worlds that only YOU can see, with only stories YOU can tell. Being around your tribe—who get you and understand your world—makes it all the more fulfilling.  ⠀

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𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗬 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦-𝗔𝗡𝗗-𝗦𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦-𝗜𝗡-𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 — I am so thankful for the friends I made this year. And the beloved ones whose bonds grew only stronger within the previous year. AFF—to me—has always been like a charger for my craft. YOU writers (producers, filmmakers, actors, showrunners) inspire me to keep going and to stay resilient in this journey. And for that, I'm beyond grateful. ⠀

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It is not easy, but to see the heights I know we'll reach together—it is well worth it. 

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𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗜 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗢 𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 — thank you for your knowledge, for inspiring ME, and for writing bad*ss material that keeps us so immersed in the worlds YOU create. You make me feel it's possible. ⠀

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And finally, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬, Yvette Lee Bowser — thank you for all you do, all you've done, and all you will continue to do. To be in the presence of such greatness? Man. I don't consider myself to have many heroes, and they often say not to meet them because they'll disappoint you. Both Mr. Bowser and Mrs. Bowser proved that statement completely wrong. If you know me, you know I LOVE the multi-cam genre. So, to talk to a writer on my personal Mt. Rushmore of the Multi-Cam genre… was truly inspiring and life-changing. 

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They often say the sequel is better than the original. ⠀

In this case, I must agree. Thank you, AFF32. 

(We might have to make it a trilogy.) ⠀⠀

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