Florida / 2024 / 61 min / English / Documentary
During her first 25 years at Duval Elementary (Gainesville, Fla.), Gloria Jean Merriex was a typical teacher. She adhered faithfully to her district’s rigid pacing guides. But after her school flunked its high-stakes state exam, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, she changed. Completely. As a result of failing the FCAT, Duval faced major consequences. They included a budget freeze and the threat of a shutdown. The state and district pressured Gloria and her colleagues to strictly follow the curriculum and guidelines.
Gloria fought back. In one year, she catapulted Duval to an A. She became a national model, giving us a blueprint for student success.
This is a film in FLIFF39 that will inspire and move you for than CLASS OF HER OWN. Boaz Dvir, a filmmaker you probably don’t know by name, but he has been to FLIFF before with extremely two accomplished films: A WING AND A PRAYER and JESSIE’S DAD. So proud to have him back with this exceptional film.
Educators and students, please join us for complimentary tickets to this film.
DIRECTOR: Boaz Dvir tells the stories of ordinary people who transform into trailblazers. They include a teacher who emerges as a disruptive innovator (Class of Her Own); a World War II flight engineer who leads a secret operation to prevent a second Holocaust (A Wing and a Prayer); an uneducated truck driver who becomes a highly effective child-protection activist (Jessie’s Dad); and a French business consultant who sets out to kill his father’s Nazi executioner (Cojot).
His films have been distributed by PBS, The New York Times, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and other outlets. They’ve screened in prestigious venues around the world, including Columbia University’s Global Center in Paris, the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and numerous US colleges such as the University of Virginia, Syracuse, Penn and NYU.
DIRECTOR STATEMENT: A high-need school in a low-socioeconomic part of Gainesville, Fla., Duval Elementary surprised everyone when it became one of the state’s best. I spent a year filming there.
Although Duval’s star teacher, Gloria Merriex, died a few months earlier, her colleagues believed they’d maintain their academic excellence. Gloria gave so much—tutoring struggling students, hosting text-cramming sleepovers, teaching a parent class, sewing uniforms and graduation dresses, cooking meals—that she worked herself to death.
The students took the state standardized test with confidence. But Duval failed. That’s when I realized that I needed to tell Gloria’s story. It’s truly unique.
Contact: boaz.dvir@gmail.com
Special Guest: Boaz Dvir
Pad Hustle
Broward / 2024 / 6 min / English / Documentary
THE PAD HUSTLE is a story about a headstrong highschooler who unexpectedly gets her period during class – (what girl hasn’t?!) – and as a result of the school having no resources, embarks on a side HUSTLE to help her classmates get the menstrual products they desperately need.
Director & Writer: Kyla Holmes / Producers: Jimmeke Anderson, Sierra Davis, Regina Hoyles, Yha Mourhia Wright, Chassidy Jade / Camera: Dominic Easter / Editor: Lauren McGarret / Production Coach: Imane Lawrence Brooks / Cast: Rita Peraza, Marie Patrice Kebreau Pierre, Farrah Samara, Marcia Staple, Chadesia Young, Jaelin Holmes / Contact: kyla.r.holmes@gmail.com
DIRECTOR: Kyla Holmes is a visionary teen film director with a passion for storytelling and a talent for bringing unique perspectives to the screen. At just 17, Kyla Holmes has already made a name for herself in the film industry with her critically acclaimed short film, The Pad Hustle.
The Pad Hustle was created in partnership by The Black Girls Film Camp (Yay!…Keep it up BGFC!)
Special Guest: Kyla Holmes
Sponsored by:
