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Monica Sorelle

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Monica Sorelle
Born
Miami, Florida, US
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • producer
  • artist
WorksMountains (2023)
AwardsFilm Independent Spirit Awards - Someone to Watch Award (2024)

Monica Sorelle is a Haitian-American filmmaker and visual artist based in Miami. Her work investigates South Florida and Caribbean cultures and perspectives, and her films have been featured in numerous international film festivals.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Monica Sorelle was born to Haitian parents in Miami and grew up in the North Miami area.[3][4]

Sorelle started taking film classes at 16, and earned an Associate of Arts from Miami Dade College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film from the University of Central Florida in 2012.[3][5][6]

Career

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Sorelle produced a number of short films that have been awarded at festivals such as Berlinale, BlackStar Film Festival and Miami Film Festival, and acquired by Criterion Channel and Indiana University Black Film Center & Archive.[7]

She was awarded the Artist Fellowship from the Caribbean Cultural Institute at Pérez Art Museum Miami in 2021.[1] In 2023, her video work was exhibited on PAMM TV, Pérez Art Museum Miami's streaming service for video art.[8][9] Sorelle is a 2023 Artists in Residence in Everglades (AIRIE) Fellow and recipient of the South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowship.[10]

Mountains (2023)

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Sorelle co-wrote and directed Mountains, a 95-minute feature film commenting on the implications of gentrification and urban renewal in the Little Haiti neighborhood in Miami, Florida, through the lens of a local demolition worker named Xavier (portrayed by Atibon Nazaire), his wife Esperance (Sheila Anozier), and their son Junior (Chris Renois).[11][12][13][14]

Mountains had its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival[15] in New York, where it received a Special Jury Mention in the United States competition. Mountains has been awarded by major film festivals and juried presentations such as Toronto International Film Festival,[16] Official Selection; New Orleans Film Festival 2023, Winner of Audience Award; Charlotte Film Festival 2023, Winner of Jury Award; New Hampshire Film Festival 2023, Winner of Grand Jury Award; Indie Memphis Film Festival 2023, Winner of Best Narrative Feature; and BlackStar Film Festival 2023,[17] Winner of Audience Award and Nominee for Jury Award. In 2024, Monica Sorelle was the recipient of Someone to Watch Award by Film Independent Spirit Awards.[7][18][19] Mountains was also awarded the ReFrame Stamp from ReFrame in 2024.[20] Mountains was exhibited at Sorelle's Miami hometown as part of Miami Film Festival 2024.[21]

Filmography

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2019 T No No Yes Short film
2021 You Can Always Come Home No No Yes Short film
2023 Mountains Yes Yes No Feature directorial debut; co-written by Robert Colom

References

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  1. ^ a b "Monica Sorelle – Caribbean Cultural Institute". Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  2. ^ Gibbs, Adrienne. "'Mountains' Director Monica Sorelle On Displacement, Imagery And Miami's Little Haiti". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  3. ^ a b Rosa, Amanda (March 14, 2024). "Miami-made film about gentrification in Little Haiti is making a splash at festivals". The Miami Herald. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  4. ^ "Little Haiti fights off development in Monica Sorelle's first feature film". WLRN. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  5. ^ Busto, Carolina del. "Monica Sorelle Shines a Light on Gentrification in Her Film Mountains". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  6. ^ Slater, Shane (2023-06-26). "Interview: Director Monica Sorelle on Crafting 'Mountains' and Exploring Gentrification in Little Haiti". Awards Radar. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  7. ^ a b "Monica Sorelle". Film Independent. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  8. ^ Markowitz, Douglas. "Third Horizon Film Festival Returns With Lineup of Ambitious Caribbean Cinema". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  9. ^ Rosa, Amanda (September 12, 2023). "Move over Netflix. This Miami art museum is launching its own streaming service". The Miami Herald. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  10. ^ "Monica Sorelle, AIRIE 2023 Fellow". Artists in Residence in Everglades. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  11. ^ "MONICA SORELLE ON TF23 U.S. NARRATIVE SELECTION 'MOUNTAINS', MIAMI'S GENTRIFICATION, & FIGHTING FOR THE SLICE OF THE AMERICAN PIE". Tribeca. 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  12. ^ Sorelle, Monica (2023-06-09), Mountains (Drama), Atibon Nazaire, Sheila Anozier, Chris Renois, Filmes Conéme, Neon Heart Productions, retrieved 2024-04-16
  13. ^ Complex, Valerie (2023-10-23). "Fusion Entertainment Signs Trio Behind Tribeca Breakout Film 'Mountains'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  14. ^ "AFI FEST 2023 | MOUNTAINS". AFI FEST. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  15. ^ "Mountains | 2023 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  16. ^ Hammond, Pete (2023-09-16). "'Mountains' Review: Touching Story Of Haitian Family In Miami Is Impressive Directorial Debut For Monica Sorelle – Toronto Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  17. ^ "Mountains". BlackStar. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  18. ^ Thomas, Carly (2024-01-07). "Monica Sorelle, Monique Walton, Set Hernandez Win Independent Spirit Emerging Filmmaker Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  19. ^ "Film Independent Honors 2024 Spirit Awards Winners at 39th Annual Ceremony". Film Independent. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  20. ^ Mountains (2023) - Awards - IMDb. Retrieved 2024-04-16 – via www.imdb.com.
  21. ^ "Miami Film Festival 2024". miamifilmfestival2024.eventive.org. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
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