Private Project

Divide - Time to Breathe

Gerald, an African American teenager who believes in taking a stance against the injustice to his people, and rebels against his father Jerome, a retired police officer, who does not agree with the methods implemented by the BLM supporters in 2020. Feeling suffocated and unable to breathe, Gerald lashes out against his father’s opposing beliefs resulting in the immanent divide between them. Tensions rise and Gerald’s mother, Trisha, is caught in the fallout of this modern New York City family as they crumble to the pressures of different ideologies, racial injustice, and being Black in America.

  • Anthony Paulino
    Director
    Here, Kitty Kitty, Strangers on a Subway
  • Anthony Paulino
    Writer
    Here, Kitty Kitty, Strangers on a Subway
  • Laval Alsbrook
    Writer
  • Vijaykumar Mirchandani
    Producer
    Where The Streets Have No Name, Habaneros, The Process, Paese Che Vai-When in Rome, Love Can't Be Locked Down, The Last Jam jar
  • Jorge Alvarez
    Producer
    Stolen Innocence, Red Rose,
  • Jamel Lewis
    Key Cast
    "Gerald"
  • Greg Mays
    Key Cast
    "Jerome"
  • April Armstrong
    Key Cast
    "Trisha"
  • Brian Post
    Key Cast
    "Cop"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    African America, Drama, Family, Youth, Social Justice, Human Rights
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 7, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • International Black Diversity Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    July 16, 2022
    Canadian Premiere
    Award Nominee
  • Black Truth Film Festival
    California
    United States
    June 17, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Unrestricted View Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    May 1, 2022
    Official Selection
  • San Diego Black Film Festival
    San Diego
    United States
    April 29, 2022
    Official Selection
  • BFC Short Film Festival
    Fort Lee
    United States
    January 17, 2022
    Audience Award
  • African American Marketplace & SE Manly Short Film Showcase

    United States
    January 14, 2022
    Official Selection
  • East & South Europe International Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 15, 2021
    Best Lead Actor. Best Short Film
  • The MIAMI International Cinefest
    Miami
    United States
    December 11, 2021
    Best Drama, Best Short Film, Best of Fest - Best Drama, Best of Fest - Best Short Film
  • Gary International Black Film Festival
    Erie
    United States
    October 8, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Shorts Tv Worldwide Film Festival

    United States
    October 1, 2021
    Official Selection
  • 2021 Great Lakes International Film Festival

    United States
    September 23, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Afrikana Independent Film Festival
    Richmond
    United States
    September 16, 2021
    Official Selection
  • SOMA Film Festival
    New Jersey
    United States
    September 10, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Bronzelens Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    August 17, 2021
    North America Premiere
    Official Selection
  • West Europe International Film Festival - Brussels Edition
    London
    United States
    August 16, 2021
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Anthony Paulino

"Make films that resonate with people." These are words that ring true for any filmmaker. But for him, they’re the foundation that carry his passion. Driven from the time he was 20 in a city full of ambitious artists and entrepreneurs, the inner-city youth took any opportunity that would help further his dream.

Anthony was born in the central city of Bonao, Dominican Republic. Migrating to America when he was 6 years old with his mother and 1 year old sister. As a child he was highly influenced by the colorful stories of Japanese anime, influencing his artistry and creativity immensely. He would sit for hours drawing his own characters, naming them and creating their own personal backstories. This would eventually carry over into his college years, when an unsure 19-year-old Paulino decided to follow his path in animation.

However, he quickly realized that this was not for him. Instead, it was the introductory media production course that same semester that would be the gateway to his true calling. Anthony immediately fell in love with the process of filmmaking. From writing, planning, shooting, and editing. It was the fulfilment of this all-encompassing experience that satisfied him more than anything.

While in college, he went on to create a number of short narrative films with the help of fellow students. The first being the eerie Here, Kitty, Kitty, that bagged an official selection at the 2019 CUNY Film Festival. Followed by the awkwardly relatable Strangers on a Subway that earned him a certificate of participation from the Asian Research Institute at the 2019 CUNY Asian American Film Festival. And even the campy horror Sleeping Forest that received positive reactions at Luv Story’s indie open screen in 2019.

After graduating, Anthony met FilmCloudStudio founder Jorge Alvarez, who quickly brought him onboard the production of his gritty introspective drama Stolen Innocence. The film was screened at the 2019 International New York Film Festival. This began a fruitful partnership between the two filmmakers, subsequently teaming up to write and produce the spy thriller Red Rose the following summer. Since then, Paulino has joined the team as a fulltime member of FilmCloudStudios staff, helping write, produce, and direct multiple projects, including their upcoming family drama “Divide –Time to Breathe” aimed to be released in 2021.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

It all began in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd
in the spring of 2020. The advent of Covid-19 brought forth a period of unwanted complacency for filmmakers. 2 months of being quarantined had caused me to become creatively stagnant. That is until late May, when the video went viral. Suddenly a fire was lit across America and the world. People were out in the streets, standing up for their right to live, protesting against systematic oppression. I had seen similar events take place over the years, but nothing as visceral and wide spread as this. I wanted to do my part as an artist, to bring light to the situation without being lost in the giant wave of social commentary that was to come. I had to think differently.

Bringing awareness to the topic of police brutality through the lens of a family dynamic was something I hadn’t seen before. “Divide - Time to Breathe” is a film that explores the delicate relationship between an African American Father and son who are put at odds due to their opposing beliefs surrounding Black Lives Matter. What is it like to live as a Black cop during these turbulent times? How does it affect the relationships in your life? Are you seen as an enemy within your own community? For some reason, these questions weren’t being asked by the people around me; so I took it upon myself to ask them.

The main catalyst for the film came from a number of videos I had come across of Black Americans denouncing the BLM movement for various reasons. At first, I was perplexed, but then I started thinking...There seems to be a common misconception among us that one’s own opinion is representative of their group as a whole. Especially for topics that are meant to be universally unifying. We constantly subconsciously relegate individuals into categories indicative of their race. When in actuality, each person forms their own opinions based on their unique circumstances and surroundings. The notion that every African American will stand united against police brutality is a reasonable one, but it’s far from the case.

The characters of Gerald and Jerome stand independently on opposing ends of a spectrum. Despite the two sharing the physical similarities that would subject both to the same racial discrimination. At their core, they are complete opposites. I wanted to create a space where both perspectives were treated fairly and given a platform to express themselves without judgement. This film is meant to open an unbiased dialogue crucial to communicating with one another and understanding our differences.