Private Project

15 Lines

A young architect is at a significant career crossroads while helping his father transition into another phase of his life. While helping his father clean out the attic of his childhood home, he finds an old trunk that contains valuable family heirlooms, including several journals passed down through generations of his family. These journals chronicle his ancestors' stories, dreams, and secrets in detailed notes and vivid drawings. The items bring up more questions about his family's past that his father seems reluctant to answer. As Benjamin learns more about his ancestors, he realizes his abilities and makes an important decision about his future.

  • Sharon Samuels
    Director
  • Imanne Mondane
    Writer
  • Landon Bardo
    Producer
  • Jabari Khaliq
    Key Cast
    "Benjamin"
  • Brian Keith Ellison
    Key Cast
    "Pops"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 6, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Sharon Samuels

Sharon Samuels is a Chicago-based filmmaker. 15 Lines is her Directorial Debut and the first film project for her production company, Bluprnt359, established in 2023. In her day job, she works in the Art Department for TV and Feature Films, mainly as an Art Director. Some of the projects she has worked on include the feature film Widows and the television shows Utopia and The CHI. Before working in TV and film, she spent 15 years practicing architecture in Chicago. Her favorite filmmakers/storytellers include Christopher Nolan, Spike Lee, George Lucas, Jordan Peele and Taika Waititi. Her goal is to produce fiction and nonfiction films of varying genres that appeal to the humanity and curiosity of people everywhere.

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Director Statement

Like every filmmaker, I immediately wondered what I would write about. As a first-time filmmaker, I repeatedly read blogs and watched videos asking myself this question. One top piece of advice I continually came across was to "write about what you know. So, it began----I thought about what I knew and, in this process, another question came up---what I was fascinated with? Much of what I know is architecture----Before working in film, I practiced architecture for the better part of 20 years. So, this is how this story starts-----about an architect struggling to find his way. As far as what fascinates me, the one subject I have always found fascinating is history. In history, you define the basics of storytelling—Who, What, When, where, and why?
So, I began brainstorming and researching ideas and found one with the main character finding a family journal. OK, I thought---this could be it! But I knew there had to be more to the story. It is common in African American families that they cannot trace their ancestors back more than three or four generations, so what if that became part of our hero's story? I then thought about a common saying in the Black community, "I am my ancestor's wildest dreams," which inspired the final twist. 15 Lines brings these ideas together in a story that I hope encourages anyone who views it to achieve their wildest dreams.