In this profile series, Revry is highlighting authentic contributors to the LGBTQ media and entertainment community. We ask questions to find out who they are and where they are going in the future. The questions remain the same but the answers tell their unique story. It’s time to explore and celebrate true representation beyond the limits of Hollywood. 

Sam Meneses (she/her) is a Hispanic filmmaker, editor and colorist located in Philadelphia, PA. She is known for her first ever award nominated documentary film, PROUD TO BE that screened during QueerX 2021. She got her start behind the camera capturing and editing wedding content, from shooting on location to applying her eye for color and light to the color correction process. Sam is like a Swiss Army knife, ready for any challenge and able to apply her behind-the-scenes creative expertise to anything thrown her way. Along with PROUD TO BE, she has also color corrected a short documentary, I AM MY ANCESTORS’ WILDEST DREAMS. Directed and produced by Kyra Knox, this film has been nominated and screened through many film festivals. Some of which include The San Francisco Black Film Festival, B. PHL Film Fest and The New York International Women Festival. From pre-production to key grip, from behind the camera to post, Sam truly believes that film is not about all the fancy gear or camera movement, but about the story you want to tell.

What are you best known for?

I am best known for my debut short documentary film, PROUD TO BE, which was streamed through QueerX Film Festival. PROUD TO BE was created, produced, and edited before Pride 2021. It was an honor to have a very supportive team at Koi-Fly Creative Production House by my side as I listened to these intimately personal stories. My hope is that the film continues to impact others' lives and to aid in educating those who may not know what it means to come out.

What is the first thing you directed?

The first film I directed was actually, PROUD TO BE. I’ve always wanted to create something that involved the LGBT+ community and with the help of my co-director and closest friend, Kyra Knox, I was able to bring my vision to life. I am typically on the post production side of filmmaking but when I brought this idea to Kyra, she said “This is your community, and I want to support you. Like you support my community”. She mentored me and allowed me to take the steps I needed to evolve as a Director. We created PROUD TO BE, an 8-minute documentary that ran during Pride 2021. The narrative was concepted as a love letter to our friends, giving those in our community a safe space to talk openly about their experiences, from their own journeys to self discovery to coming out to family, coworkers and friends who could potentially choose to see you in a completely different light. Our unscripted stories were filmed at Mina’s World Cafe, the first QTPOC coffee shop in Philadelphia, where everyone was encouraged to be open and honest, and take a pause to recognize how far they’ve really come, and how special they truly are. Our group of storytellers was intentionally diverse, in hopes of inspiring others to find the courage to speak up, be themselves and follow their very own dreams. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, we’re always looking for ways to share our own personal stories, in hopes of spreading more awareness and helping others feel comfortable enough to share theirs. We’re just people like everyone else, whether we identity as non-binary, transgender, gay, lesbian or queer. We live each day eager to share our undeniable capacity for love, and our desire to be loved, and want nothing more than to celebrate each other every day, with everyone, everywhere.

What are you working on that no one knows about yet?

I’m currently in the early stages of a short film that focuses on the culture and tradition in my Ecuadorian family, highlighting how my grandfather took the first steps of coming to America. I hope to show that while being the first generation of my family to be born in America, I still pay homage to my roots. Aside from that, my film crew and I are working on a full-length documentary called BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN PHILADELPHIA. It will focus on the effects of gun violence on adolescents living in Philadelphia. BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN PHILADELPHIA will revolve around the stories of four young adults who were empowered by basketball to discover their self-worth, and ultimately pivot their lives toward a positive and hopeful future. 2021 is on track to become the most violent year in Philadelphia’s history. Community leaders do what they can, but for ‘Shoot Basketballs NOT People’ founder Garry Mills, the prospect of just one more kid dying from gun violence is one too many. If you would like to see the teaser, you can follow @badthingshappen_inphiladelphia on Instagram.