In dreams begin...

There are circumstances in which looking itself is a source of pleasure, just as, in the reverse formation, there is pleasure in being looked at.
– Laura Mulvey

Winner of BEST LGBTQ JURY AWARD and AUDIENCE AWARD at the 2023 PARIS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL!

Directed by multidisciplinary artist Bruce Morrow, "in dreams begin..." is a road trip of dreams and memories of a day spent on the beach with a smiling lover. It is made up of over 2,500 still photographs and pays homage to seminal experimental filmmakers such as Spike Jonze, Bruce Conner, Stan Brakhage, and Chris Marker. The use of music by LatinX LGBTQ singer/songwriter drito further enhances the hypnotic narrative impact of the film.

The film was edited by Bronx-based South African Ndlela Nkibo, who played a crucial role in piecing together the thousands of photographs to create a cohesive and emotive experience.

Overall, "in dreams begin..." is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant experimental short film that combines photography, music, and editing to create a unique and unforgettable cinematic experience.

  • Bruce Morrow
    Director
  • Bruce Morrow
    Writer
    Bruce Morrow is a former fiction editor at Callaloo and a co-editor of "Shade: An Anthology of Short Fiction by Gay Men of African Descent," which was the first Black LGBTQ anthology published by a major NYC publisher. His writing has been published in the New York Times, "Speak My Name: Black Men on Masculinity and the American Dream," and "Freedom in this Village: Twenty-Five Years of Black Gay Men's Writing." He has served in leadership roles at The Trevor Project, GLAAD, Girl Scouts of the USA, Bank Street College of Education, and Teachers & Writers Collaborative. He holds a BS in Biology from RIT and an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and was a Revson Fellow for Mid-Career Civic Leaders at Columbia University in 2007.
  • scopOphilic
    Producer
  • Pedro Villalta
    Music
  • Ndlela Nkobi
    Editor
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3248980/
  • Jamari Jai
    Key Cast
    "Boy on Beach"
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Music Video, Short, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    LGBTQ, Black, Black Gay, Experimental, Music Video, Wellness, Self-Care
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 34 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 17, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Paris Shorts Film Festival 2023
    Paris
    France
    March 10, 2023
    European Online Only
    Best LGBTQ Film: Jury Award, Best Audience Award
  • Rio Webfest 2023
    Rio de Janeiro
    Brazil
    November 26, 2023
    South American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Sydney World Fest 2023-2024
    Sydney
    Australia
    August 4, 2023
    Australian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 10th Music Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    July 2, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Macaw International Film Festival
    Chennai, Tamilnadu
    India
    May 20, 2023
    Best Experimental Short Film
  • Canary International Film Festival
    Kuthalam, Tamilnadu
    India
    May 14, 2023
    India Premiere
    Best Experimental Short Film
  • Tokyo International Cinema Awards
    Tokyo
    Japan
    August 1, 2023
    Japan Premiere
    Offiical Selection
  • LA Sun Film Fest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    June 8, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Cannes Arts Fest
    Cannes
    France
    June 1, 2023
    Official Selection
  • LWIFF | Lonely Wolf
    London
    United Kingdom
    July 31, 2023
    UK Premiere
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography - Bruce Morrow

Bruce Morrow is an interdisciplinary artist who focuses on writing, digital art, installations, and video/film. After he was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in 2019, he recommitted himself to his artistic practice. He is a co-founder of the digital art collective scopOphliic, which broadcast on MNN for seven years. He is a former fiction editor at Callaloo, and co-editor of “Shade: An Anthology of Short Fiction by Gay Men of African Descent.” His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, “Speak My Name: Black Men on Masculinity and the American Dream,” and “Freedom in this Village: Twenty-Five Years of Black Gay Men's Writing.” He has an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I write and create art to provoke dialogue about race, gender, sexual identity, loneliness, and what it means to “be” in the world. As a black queer child who never knew where he fit, I’ve always made sense of the world around me through words and images.