Lost and Found is a short film about Janette Wilson, a successful fashion editor, recently got engaged to her ex-con first lover. She used her connections to get him a hotel manager position, only to find out he slept with an employee and got her pregnant. A part of her wants to fight and make it work. Can love conquer it all?
Dezmyre Volmeus is a Haitian-American actress and filmmaker from Miami, Florida. She graduated from Florida International University with a dual degrees in Political Science/ International Relations. After loosing her grandfather to cancer, Volmeus dares to break out of her cultural traditions by taking a leap of faith and relocate to Los Angeles to pursue her career in the entertainment industry.
We spoke to Dezmyre Volmeus regarding her work for LA Indies.
What was the inspiration behind the making of your film?
First of all, thank you so much for the opportunity to share my journey with the world. The inspiration behind the making of “Lost and Found” came from a place of personal heartbroken past relationships experience. The goal was to produce a film that would highlight the type of legacy I want to leave behind. The legacy for me is to give reminders to women to not loose themselves while loving a man, don’t put your dreams on hold just to prove your loyalty to a man, and finally no matter how deep in the hole you fall, you can always rise back up to the top.
What were some of the challenges of making the film?
The beauty about challenges is that we are being tested to see how much we are willing to bet on ourselves and the project. Like many independent filmmakers, the financing always seem to pose a threat. But, once our mind is made up about the project,we are always willing to make the necessary sacrifice.
When did you realize that you wanted to work in media and what was the first film project that you created?
I was born in Haiti, and raised in Miami, Florida. My curiosity to work in the film industry kicked in when I started performing some of my poems at various schools and open mics events like Miami Dade college, North Miami Senior high school.
I noticed the impact and that had encouraged me to dig deeper to find my purpose in life. I fell in love with the idea of telling stories that could bring changes, awareness, and really help others find their voices. The very first project I produced was called “In Position”. It was from that project that I had learned all the mistakes that newbies make in order to better prepare for the next project.
Which directors have been influential in your work and why?
There are so many directors to choose from. But, the person that have been influential to my work is Tyler Perry. I didn’t plan on wearing so many hats until I heard his acceptance speech about “Don’t wait for Hollywood, build your own table”. I was so motivated that I decided that I was not just going to be an actor, I wanted to challenge myself to learn the business and wear all the hats like he did. I can’t wait to finally meet him in person to thank him for the push. I discovered a lot about myself while taking on such big challenge. It was all well worth it. Thank you Tyler Perry!
What genre of filmmaking do you like to work on?
It looks like drama brings the best suspense but I am remaining open minded to tap in to all genre.
What is the most challenging aspect of making an independent film?
The most challenging aspect of making an independent film is sticking to the overall message of the film without drifting to new ideas.
How can cinema and filmmaking change the world and have an impact on society?
There can be an impact on society if cinema and filmmaking brings awareness on inequality barriers just by creating films that expose truths so that we can find better solutions to close racial issues. The ultimate goal for cinema and filmmaking is to bring love, unity, awareness, justice, and effective communication.