Experiencing Interruptions?

One Story at a Time: Celeste Lecesne

In the docu-short One Story at a Time, Celeste Lecesne candidly shares how he not only escaped the confines of homophobia but combatted it by finding the courage to share his truth with the world. In a seemingly fateful chain of events, an off-broadway solo-show becomes an Academy Award-winning film that ultimately inspires The Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQIA+ youth. Now, 25 years later, countless lives have been saved, and Celeste stays the course, inspiring the next generation to have the bravery to claim their truth and continue to change the world, one story at a time.

  • Eva Tenuto
    Director
    Vicarious Resilience, Locker Room Talk
  • Natalia Iyudin
    Director
    The Hidden Power of Purpose, The Next Normal
  • Kashka Glowacka
    Producer
    Vicarious Resilience, Locker Room Talk
  • Celeste Lecesne
    Key Cast
    "Self"
    Trevor
  • TMI Project
    Production Company
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Web / New Media
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • DC/DOX
    Washington, DC
    United States
    June 13, 2024
    DC Premiere
    Official Selection
  • OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival
    Durham, NC
    United States
    August 8, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Reel Out Charlotte
    Charlotte, NC
    United States
    May 15, 2024
    East Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • The Women's Film Festival
    Philadelphia, PA
    United States
    August 25, 2024
    Pennsylvania Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Reeling Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    September 19, 2024
    Illinois Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Imagine This Women's Film Festival
    New York, NY
    United States
    September 20, 2024
    NYC Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Global Drama Project Film Festival
    New York, NY
    United States
    September 21, 2024
    Official Selection
  • PDX Recovery Film Festival
    Portland, OR
    United States
    September 29, 2024
    Northwest Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Monadnock International Film Festival
    Keane, NH
    United States
    October 4, 2024
    NH Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Connecticut LGBTQ+ Film Festival
    New Haven, CT
    United States
    June 14, 2024
    New England Premiere
    Official Selection
  • On The Fringe Film Festival
    Taos, NM
    United States
    June 28, 2024
    Southwest Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Silicon Valley Queer Film Fest
    Campbell, CA
    United States
    October 11, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Long Beach QFilm Festival
    Long Beach, CA
    United States
    September 6, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Bread and Roses Film Festival
    Asbury Park, NJ
    United States
    October 18, 2024
    NJ Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Utah Queer Film Festival
    Salt Lake City, UT
    United States
    October 25, 2024
    Utah Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Eva Tenuto, Natalia Iyudin

EVA TENUTO co-founded TMI Project in 2010, spearheading a movement using true storytelling as a liberation practice for social justice. With an unwavering commitment to releasing shame and stigma through true storytelling, Eva has propelled TMI Project from her living room to the United Nations, and many places in between. Since then, she has guided thousands of people to write and share their stories. Now, Eva is the co-host of the award-winning podcast, The TMI Project Story Hour, and the stories are being listened to around the world. Eva is the editor and director of multiple solo shows, one of which was awarded Best Comedic Script in the United Solo Festival. Her award-winning docu-short, Vicarious Resilience, celebrated its world premiere at The Woodstock Film Festival. Her latest docu-shorts, Locker Room Talk and One Story at a Time: Celeste Lecesne, debut in 2024. Her essays have appeared in assorted anthologies and online publications.

NATALIA IYUDIN had her start in the industry as a TV editor for MTV, BET and PBS. She then worked in development on “Girly” with Rashida Jones, Refinery29 and the UN Foundation, and “Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip Hop” for Netflix. She directed for mental health campaigns around teen suicide and opioid crises, and on several projects for Toyota. She co-created and directed “We Got You” -- an award-winning digital series featuring Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter of The Roots. Natalia’s directing work streamed on Direct TV and DUST and screened festivals worldwide, before she made her TV debut with two episodes of a horror anthology for Stage 13, "Two Sentence Horror Stories"; currently on Netflix.

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Director Statement

I believe true stories are an untapped resource for global transformation. It may be a bold statement, but I see it happen every day with my work at TMI Project where we make an equally bold claim – to change the world, one story at a time, by crafting and amplifying true stories that set us free. Since I co-founded the organization in 2010, I have watched thousands of people discover the courage it takes to share a story they were most afraid to tell and witnessed them bloom and expand beyond their wildest dreams.

There are rare instances when the change is so epic that the power of true storytelling is undeniable. Celeste Lecesne's story is truly a hero’s journey, and his lifetime commitment to transforming pain into power for himself and his community is remarkable. Celeste grew up in a homophobic household and culture. Like so many, he was closeted and spent much of his youth dealing with suicidal ideation. As he says so powerfully in the film, "How can you live in a world that wants you dead?" Luckily, he discovered his chosen family in the theater community and was able to start tapping into his own inner fabulousness.

For Celeste, the real catalyst for change happened when he had the horrific realization that his beloved LGBTQIA+ community was vanishing before his eyes; his generation from AIDS and the younger generation from suicide. That glimpse into the dire future sparked his courage to tell his story and claim his rightful place in the world, taking up space and standing in the spotlight. As a result of sharing his story, The Trevor Project was born, and over the last 25 years, countless lives have been saved. Young people approach him all the time and tell him, "I wouldn't be here if it hadn’t been for you."

I am so honored to capture a fraction of his legacy. I envision "One Story at a Time" as a cornerstone of LGBTQIA+ history, a tool for suicide prevention, and a guide for educators and parents on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. May it serve as a beacon of hope, encouraging individuals of all ages to share their own stories and usher in a future filled with possibility.

EVA TENUTO, FEBRUARY 2024