Three seniors at Brooklyn high schools are determined to get their entire classes to college, even though they aren't even sure they are going to make it there themselves. They are working as college counselors in their three schools because many of their friends have nowhere else to turn for support. PERSONAL STATEMENT is a feature-length documentary that follows Karoline, Christine and Enoch through their senior year and into college. They work tirelessly as peer college counselors to realize better futures for themselves and their peers. They struggle and they stumble, but refuse to succumb to the barriers that prevent so many low-income students from attending and graduating from college.
The Filmmakers
Juliane Dressner
Director/Producer
Juliane Dressner is a director, producer and cinematographer who makes character based films that often focus on young people who are overcoming challenging circumstances. Her films have shed light on economic and racial justice issues in education and the criminal justice system (one example is THE SCARS OF STOP-AND-FRISK, which was published as an Op-Doc by The New York Times). She won the National Magazine Award for video for her short film, AN EDUCATION, which was published by The New York Times magazine. Her other short films have been published by The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, New York magazine, and Buzzfeed. PERSONAL STATEMENT is her first feature-length documentary.
Edwin Martinez
Director/Producer
Edwin Martinez is a Bronx-born filmmaker whose work has screened theatrically, nationally, internationally and on major television and news outlets including PBS, ESPN, Fox, CBS, and the New York Times. His first feature documentary, TO BE HEARD, was named by the New York Times a “critics pick” and “one of the best documentaries of the year.” The film went on to win awards at DOC NYC, Seattle International, Nantucket, San Diego Latino, and Sarasota film festivals among others. Martinez also co-developed and produced THE CLEMENTE EFFECT (dir. Mario Diaz), edited CITY OF TREES (dir. Brandon Kramer), and shot RACHEL IS (dir. Charlotte Glynn), LEAVE NO SOLDIER (dir. Donna Bassin), LAS MARTHAS (dir. Cristina Ibarra) and WHAT ALICE FOUND (dir. A. Dean Bell, Special Grand Jury Prize winner, 2003 Sundance Film Festival). Martinez has recently returned to his alma mater as an Assistant Professor of Film in the SUNY Purchase Film Conservatory.
WORKSHOP Date
October/November 2015
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Festivals & Awards
2018 AFI Docs
2018 Margaret Mead Film Festival
2019 SXSW Film Festival