Private Project

Since I Laid Eyes

Charlie Espinoza, a thirty-four-year old English teacher from the Bronx, sets up a meeting between him and a former flame, Ilene Bermudez. Two years from graduating college, Ilene isn't exactly thrilled by the thought of reconnecting with an old boyfriend. But, she goes through with their meeting in hopes of getting an apology and some closure to their failed romance. As their evening together at the bar continues, their memories seem to be pulling them back together, leading us to question whether they will reignite their love or let it die?

  • Adel L. Morales
    Director
  • Adel L. Morales
    Writer
  • Adel L. Morales
    Producer
  • Gina Rodriguez
    Key Cast
    "Jane the Virgin," "Filly Brown," "Go For It"
  • Elizabeth Nichols
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 16, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    2,700 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Adel L. Morales

I am a 44-year-old director who was born in the Bronx. Raised in the toughest borough of New York City during one of its most dangerous times, I immersed myself completely in the newest form of lower economic artistic expression, called Hip-Hop. Avoiding many of the obstacles my friends and had family succumbed to, I managed to become an English teacher serving thousands of disenfranchised teens. Never leaving my environment gave me access to a plethora of characters, stories, and perspectives. I am now making films and am enrolled in NYU’s Graduate Film Program. I am currently preparing my first horror feature, "The Santera,” based on my experiences living here in New York.

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Director Statement

Our society tells us that women mature faster then men, which often easily explains why so many women enjoy dating older men. Differences in the ages of a couple are often encouraged in all sorts of media, from novels to articles to films. In most cases, the couple meet when they are both consenting adults. But sometimes, they meet under a less respectable situation. This led me down a path of questions involving a teenager who falls in love with her teacher. Should their relationship be considered bad? Is their relationship doomed from the start because of where & how it began? What do people feel about someone dating a role model; someone who had an influence over them during his/her formative years?