Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliette-Joy Anquetil.
Hi Juliette-Joy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
It all really started when I played the part of a young homeless woman in a mini-series (“Twice Upon a Time”)currently on Netflix. I then went on to study at the Cours Florent acting school. I eventually moved to London to pursue film studies on a “working scholarship” (Team Assistant role) at the London film Academy.
In 2021, I graduated with a Filmmaking BA (with honors), and our graduation film Let Me Ride which I directed had its world premiere at the BFI Southbank in London…And from there, it got onto the festival circuit and ultimately got selected at the 29th Austin Film Festival and United States premiere at the Galaxy Theatres in Austin.
AFF was an amazing experience; I got the chance to meet a lot of Texas based filmmakers who I hope to collaborate with in the future as I’m trying to make Austin my new creation base camp. This experience was incredibly rewarding as a director, and simply as soul. Austin is filled with a special energy and I can’t wait to be back in the coming months.
Everything kind of happened all at once these past months, I wrapped my second short two days before coming back to Austin for the Festival in October, and got a call to direct a third short film in December (partly funded! It’s amazing).
I’m beyond grateful for the way things turned out!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Regardless of my tumultuous origin story being solid material for a coming-of-age road-trip movie, I’ve had the goal of becoming a full-time director for a few years. Though I needed to find ways to support myself before and during my time as a student, so I took on just about any freelancing job in the film and fashion industries.
During my college years, I worked as a celebrity stylist assistant on editorial shoots, award ceremonies and London Fashion Week. Sounds glamorous, and it can be at times but it can also be very demanding. It definitely makes you build a certain endurance. I then transitioned into Art assisting and Art Direction on independent productions like features, shorts, reality Tv, commercials, etc.
But it wasn’t always like that, when I was 16 my lifestyle was couch-surfing and making a living by distributing flyers and editing music videos… I like to say I took the scenic route.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a film Director, I mainly specialize in Coming-of-age Dramas and Psychological Thrillers. This past year I’ve been honing my voice as a writer/director, trying to breathe into my work some mystical, almost metaphysical qualities. I’m particularly interested in telling stories that will help people understand others and themselves. I also want to use my work as a medium to challenge the representation issues the film industry has fostered for a long time. Being personally affected by a craniofacial difference (cleft lip and palate) I deeply understand the need for positive representation. Art is powerful, powerful enough to make things change, for better or for worse; I put all my creative energy towards making an impact on that subject. I want to be able to play a part in creating more opportunities for all underrepresented communities. I want to make films in which those who are underrepresented/misrepresented can recognize themselves in positive protagonist characters, instead of their features and stories being systematically used to portray antagonism.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Because I lived on the road for a few years I got to meet a very diverse range of people. All of those who believed in me when I was nothing but a sixteen-year-old with a hand-me-down DSLR camera played a part in motivating me to reach greater heights.
My relationship with my family is dysfunctional, but tremendously inspiring. My great grandmother “Mamitou” taught me all about spirituality before she passed; My grandfather “Papou” expanded my mind from a young age with hours of philosophical discussions (which I luckily still get to have relatively often, and I hope for a long time!), My Mother (maman) and Grandmother (Mamou) have been my forever confidants, they taught me about love and trust; Both avid travelers and wild spirits they nurtured me into exploring all the layers of my individuality, to really find myself. And last but not least, my Father (papa) taught me resilience and forgiveness; but also to be persistent as a storyteller, to dig deeper into the meaning of everything, reach the core of what I want to say and amplify it. It’s thanks to the multitude of souls I have encountered that I feel stronger and more capable than ever to tell powerful stories, that will hopefully awaken some consciences or at least shake them up a bit.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliettejoy.film/?hl=fr | https://www.instagram.com/pursuitof.joy/?hl=fr
Image Credits
On set stills photography by: Tam Lai
