Private Project

Hael

A schizophrenic is expelled from home where she battles against her voices.

  • Willie Padin*
    Director
  • Willie Padin*
    Writer
  • Willie Padin*
    Producer
  • Megan Caulfield
    Key Cast
    "Hael"
  • Tennyson Harris*
    Key Cast
    "Voices Leader"
  • Joe Lenig
    Key Cast
    "Pastor Don (father)"
  • Sheyda Nabaee
    Key Cast
    "Emma (Sister)"
  • Peter Pereyra
    Key Cast
    "Male Voice"
  • Char Freedberg
    Key Cast
    "Female Voice"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 8, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Maryland International Film Festival
    Hagerstown
    United States
    March 26, 2022
    Best Local Film
  • Soul4Reel Film Festival
    Hyattsville
    United States
    November 1, 2021
    Best Local Film
Director Biography - Willie Padin*

Willie Padin was born in Puerto Rico on August 26th, 1965. He began taking acting classes during his high school years and part of college. He perform in many plays during those years. He also graduated from University of Puerto Rico as a Computer Engineer. Later, he moved to the United States seeking a better future and has lived in the DC area since 1990. In 2000, he went back on stage and performed with the Sterling Playmakers and also for Teatro de la Luna and Teatro Gala. In 2008, he participated in his first 48 hours project and fell in love with filmmaking. He has produced a few short films and even an experimental Sci Fi feature. In 2016, he founded Boriken Films LLC, a mix of High Tech and Video. On Christmas day of 2017, he premiered the short Honra in his YouTube channel and has been seen by over 5000 viewers. In 2018, Honra won Audience Choice for Local DC Film at the Soul4Reel Festival and finalist at the Clifton Film Celebration. In 2020, he released Hael, the story of a schizophrenic living on the streets battling her disease and screened at the Wheaton Film Festival in November of 2020 and also screened at Soul4Reel Film festival winning Best Local (Maryland) Film of 2021 and Maryland International Film Festiival 2022 won also Best Local (Maryland) Film.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Dear fellow filmmakers,

It is with great pleasure I have released my latest film Hael. The idea for Hael started by a conversation with one of my great friends Benny Masso (RIP) to whom I dedicate this film. He told me the story of a schizophrenic teenager that ended up stabbing her own mother and my thought was, "I never heard this before." It was then that I got interested in schizophrenia. Another ingredient to the story was a homeless lady I used to watch on my way to work every week in DC and her different behaviors from one day to another. I hope this humble representation is of your liking and that it could be used to make the conversation about schizophrenia easier.

I have definitely a fabulous cast in Megan Caulfield as Hael, Tennyson Harris playing the schizo voices leader, Joe Lenig Hael's father Pastor Don and Sheyda Nabaee as Hael's sister. Each one of these actors interpreted their respective roles beyond what I had envision and made my life superbly easy. Finally, the voice actors Char Freedberg and Peter Pereyra were tremendous in representing how the voices actually work in the human brain and my daughter Amanda as child Hael.

God Bless and enjoy!

Willie Padin
Boriken Films
Writer and Director