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It has taken me way too long to post about this experience but only because I feel I still haven’t quite come down from it.
If you’d told me 3 years ago—as I set out with a small group of people crazy enough to take a chance on me to make a feature film—that it would premiere at AFI Fest…that I’d introduce it to the world alongside the director of my life-long favorite film (Monster)…at Hollywood Blvd’s Chinese Theater…I’d struggle to believe I could ever have that much luck on my side.

It’s only semi-easy to believe because it doesn’t feel like luck—it feels like hard work. Making this film was a grueling, sometimes punishing process, and I owe this payoff to the wildly talented crew (including the ones not pictured here) and their willingness to do some ballsy risk-taking. The memories with them are some of the best of my life.

I also have to take this moment to encourage anyone else who’s been teetering on the edge of a leap of faith to take it. Develop your wings on the way down. You’ll never know how hard it could pay off otherwise.

There’s still so much further to travel with this film, JUNKIE, but how excited I am to spend more time with it, and how ready I feel to begin the process all over again on feature #2 has me convinced this is truly the only thing I’m cut out to do in life.

With all my heart—thank you JUNKIE crew, you crazy beautiful bastards!
Thank you, Patty Jenkins, my mentor-mama!
And thank you @americanfilminstitute !
💚

It has taken me way too long to post about this experience but only because I feel I still haven’t quite come down from it.
If you’d told me 3 years ago—as I set out with a small group of people crazy enough to take a chance on me to make a feature film—that it would premiere at AFI Fest…that I’d introduce it to the world alongside the director of my life-long favorite film (Monster)…at Hollywood Blvd’s Chinese Theater…I’d struggle to believe I could ever have that much luck on my side.

It’s only semi-easy to believe because it doesn’t feel like luck—it feels like hard work. Making this film was a grueling, sometimes punishing process, and I owe this payoff to the wildly talented crew (including the ones not pictured here) and their willingness to do some ballsy risk-taking. The memories with them are some of the best of my life.

I also have to take this moment to encourage anyone else who’s been teetering on the edge of a leap of faith to take it. Develop your wings on the way down. You’ll never know how hard it could pay off otherwise.

There’s still so much further to travel with this film, JUNKIE, but how excited I am to spend more time with it, and how ready I feel to begin the process all over again on feature #2 has me convinced this is truly the only thing I’m cut out to do in life.

With all my heart—thank you JUNKIE crew, you crazy beautiful bastards!
Thank you, Patty Jenkins, my mentor-mama!
And thank you @americanfilminstitute !
💚

It has taken me way too long to post about this experience but only because I feel I still haven’t quite come down from it.
If you’d told me 3 years ago—as I set out with a small group of people crazy enough to take a chance on me to make a feature film—that it would premiere at AFI Fest…that I’d introduce it to the world alongside the director of my life-long favorite film (Monster)…at Hollywood Blvd’s Chinese Theater…I’d struggle to believe I could ever have that much luck on my side.

It’s only semi-easy to believe because it doesn’t feel like luck—it feels like hard work. Making this film was a grueling, sometimes punishing process, and I owe this payoff to the wildly talented crew (including the ones not pictured here) and their willingness to do some ballsy risk-taking. The memories with them are some of the best of my life.

I also have to take this moment to encourage anyone else who’s been teetering on the edge of a leap of faith to take it. Develop your wings on the way down. You’ll never know how hard it could pay off otherwise.

There’s still so much further to travel with this film, JUNKIE, but how excited I am to spend more time with it, and how ready I feel to begin the process all over again on feature #2 has me convinced this is truly the only thing I’m cut out to do in life.

With all my heart—thank you JUNKIE crew, you crazy beautiful bastards!
Thank you, Patty Jenkins, my mentor-mama!
And thank you @americanfilminstitute !
💚

It has taken me way too long to post about this experience but only because I feel I still haven’t quite come down from it.
If you’d told me 3 years ago—as I set out with a small group of people crazy enough to take a chance on me to make a feature film—that it would premiere at AFI Fest…that I’d introduce it to the world alongside the director of my life-long favorite film (Monster)…at Hollywood Blvd’s Chinese Theater…I’d struggle to believe I could ever have that much luck on my side.

It’s only semi-easy to believe because it doesn’t feel like luck—it feels like hard work. Making this film was a grueling, sometimes punishing process, and I owe this payoff to the wildly talented crew (including the ones not pictured here) and their willingness to do some ballsy risk-taking. The memories with them are some of the best of my life.

I also have to take this moment to encourage anyone else who’s been teetering on the edge of a leap of faith to take it. Develop your wings on the way down. You’ll never know how hard it could pay off otherwise.

There’s still so much further to travel with this film, JUNKIE, but how excited I am to spend more time with it, and how ready I feel to begin the process all over again on feature #2 has me convinced this is truly the only thing I’m cut out to do in life.

With all my heart—thank you JUNKIE crew, you crazy beautiful bastards!
Thank you, Patty Jenkins, my mentor-mama!
And thank you @americanfilminstitute !
💚

It has taken me way too long to post about this experience but only because I feel I still haven’t quite come down from it.
If you’d told me 3 years ago—as I set out with a small group of people crazy enough to take a chance on me to make a feature film—that it would premiere at AFI Fest…that I’d introduce it to the world alongside the director of my life-long favorite film (Monster)…at Hollywood Blvd’s Chinese Theater…I’d struggle to believe I could ever have that much luck on my side.

It’s only semi-easy to believe because it doesn’t feel like luck—it feels like hard work. Making this film was a grueling, sometimes punishing process, and I owe this payoff to the wildly talented crew (including the ones not pictured here) and their willingness to do some ballsy risk-taking. The memories with them are some of the best of my life.

I also have to take this moment to encourage anyone else who’s been teetering on the edge of a leap of faith to take it. Develop your wings on the way down. You’ll never know how hard it could pay off otherwise.

There’s still so much further to travel with this film, JUNKIE, but how excited I am to spend more time with it, and how ready I feel to begin the process all over again on feature #2 has me convinced this is truly the only thing I’m cut out to do in life.

With all my heart—thank you JUNKIE crew, you crazy beautiful bastards!
Thank you, Patty Jenkins, my mentor-mama!
And thank you @americanfilminstitute !
💚

It has taken me way too long to post about this experience but only because I feel I still haven’t quite come down from it.
If you’d told me 3 years ago—as I set out with a small group of people crazy enough to take a chance on me to make a feature film—that it would premiere at AFI Fest…that I’d introduce it to the world alongside the director of my life-long favorite film (Monster)…at Hollywood Blvd’s Chinese Theater…I’d struggle to believe I could ever have that much luck on my side.

It’s only semi-easy to believe because it doesn’t feel like luck—it feels like hard work. Making this film was a grueling, sometimes punishing process, and I owe this payoff to the wildly talented crew (including the ones not pictured here) and their willingness to do some ballsy risk-taking. The memories with them are some of the best of my life.

I also have to take this moment to encourage anyone else who’s been teetering on the edge of a leap of faith to take it. Develop your wings on the way down. You’ll never know how hard it could pay off otherwise.

There’s still so much further to travel with this film, JUNKIE, but how excited I am to spend more time with it, and how ready I feel to begin the process all over again on feature #2 has me convinced this is truly the only thing I’m cut out to do in life.

With all my heart—thank you JUNKIE crew, you crazy beautiful bastards!
Thank you, Patty Jenkins, my mentor-mama!
And thank you @americanfilminstitute !
💚

THE HYPE IS REAL 🫨
Huge thanks to @weboughtamic for raining down the love on JUNKIE in their Best of Fest recap for @floridafilmfest 🥰

@rill.means —with great honor and humility—will be glad to take that copy of the unrelenting, big-hair masterwork, MICHAEL, off y’all’s hands 💚

JUNKIE squad representin’ in Florida 🐊💋

Thank you @unlucky.rabbits for the beautiful photographs 💚

JUNKIE squad representin’ in Florida 🐊💋

Thank you @unlucky.rabbits for the beautiful photographs 💚

JUNKIE squad representin’ in Florida 🐊💋

Thank you @unlucky.rabbits for the beautiful photographs 💚

Shout out to @blondetouragereviews for all the love in their @floridafilmfest recap!
Sending it all right back to you ladies 🫶🏼💚

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Thrilled to finally announce that JUNKIE took home both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at Florida Film Festival!🎉

We can’t say thank you enough to the absolutely lovely crew behind @floridafilmfest —not only for the recognition, but also for the incredible community of people you brought together and introduced us to. Awards are cool, but new friends are even cooler.
It felt so SO good to finally bring this movie home to that southern embrace 🐊💚🌴

Come see what all the rave is about! TONIGHT at 6pm at the @enziantheater for the @floridafilmfest !!

Stay for after the screening for a special Q&A with the director and lead actress!! 💚

Come see what all the rave is about! TONIGHT at 6pm at the @enziantheater for the @floridafilmfest !!

Stay for after the screening for a special Q&A with the director and lead actress!! 💚

Come see what all the rave is about! TONIGHT at 6pm at the @enziantheater for the @floridafilmfest !!

Stay for after the screening for a special Q&A with the director and lead actress!! 💚

Come see what all the rave is about! TONIGHT at 6pm at the @enziantheater for the @floridafilmfest !!

Stay for after the screening for a special Q&A with the director and lead actress!! 💚

Come see what all the rave is about! TONIGHT at 6pm at the @enziantheater for the @floridafilmfest !!

Stay for after the screening for a special Q&A with the director and lead actress!! 💚

Come see what all the rave is about! TONIGHT at 6pm at the @enziantheater for the @floridafilmfest !!

Stay for after the screening for a special Q&A with the director and lead actress!! 💚

FRIDAY

taking a step into being a choreographer & a creative with my first passion project. this is my love letter to all the club kids, party monsters, and nightlife divas in my life. the talent in this video are people i hold dear in my heart. they’ve supported me in this industry for years. 🫶🏽
i am very thankful for my queer underground family. cheers to DTLA, the playground where i found myself while dancing in its streets.

you can find it on my youtube too. link in bio.

Director & Choreographer: @_justaugustine
Director of Photography: @rill.means
Stylist: @itzjonce
Editor: @noamklement
Title Graphic: @adrian_taki
Music: Beat Up Chanel$ by @slayyyter
CLOWN: @_justaugustine
STAR # 1: @markdaftari
STAR # 2: @caddyisbright
STAR # 3: @zacharyvenegas
STAR # 4: @ambrosiothe3rd
DIVA: @____angel.z____
PARTY BOY: @itzjonce
PARTY BOY: @lvteef_
COWBOY: @party_with_carty

special thank you to
@slayyyter (this is AOTY)
@____angel.z____
@madalineriley
@danivitale
@heyitsmemeliss
@ifiwasyourbody
@party_with_carty 🏎️🏎️
@itzjonce
@rill.means ♥️
everyone who has motivated & supported me

night 1 of 3

JUNKIE is a love letter to a specific side of southern culture I feel I never see in cinema. I did my best to capture the South as I’ve known it since childhood—fun, chaotic, flawed/ beautiful in its flaws, and a damn good time as long as you’re with the right company...which is exactly why I couldn’t be more hype to finally bring it home to that turf.

JUNKIE is 1 of 10 films in competition at this year’s Florida Film Festival. I’m humbled to even be considered, but thrilled to finally be able to share the finished product with the people who made me—and moreover the people (friends old and new) who helped make this gremlin of a film over the course of 21 bonkers days in the Southeast. I couldn’t be more proud of it.

Huge thanks to @floridafilmfest and @enziantheater for having us.
@a.girl.called.rocky and I can’t wait to come blow the roof off 💚

P.S. If you’re near Orlando the 3rd week of April, come thru (and maybe come to Islands of Adventure with us after 🕺🏼)

#RaiseHellPraiseDale

JUNKIE is a love letter to a specific side of southern culture I feel I never see in cinema. I did my best to capture the South as I’ve known it since childhood—fun, chaotic, flawed/ beautiful in its flaws, and a damn good time as long as you’re with the right company...which is exactly why I couldn’t be more hype to finally bring it home to that turf.

JUNKIE is 1 of 10 films in competition at this year’s Florida Film Festival. I’m humbled to even be considered, but thrilled to finally be able to share the finished product with the people who made me—and moreover the people (friends old and new) who helped make this gremlin of a film over the course of 21 bonkers days in the Southeast. I couldn’t be more proud of it.

Huge thanks to @floridafilmfest and @enziantheater for having us.
@a.girl.called.rocky and I can’t wait to come blow the roof off 💚

P.S. If you’re near Orlando the 3rd week of April, come thru (and maybe come to Islands of Adventure with us after 🕺🏼)

#RaiseHellPraiseDale

Baby’s first getty images

Baby’s first getty images

Baby’s first getty images

Baby’s first getty images

I am honored, humbled, and [questionably] qualified to host a panel discussing creative process—as well as my first feature, JUNKIE—with the woman whose first feature made me wanna make movies.

Tix are free so there’s no reason NOT to come roast me on the open mic (and then you can catch JUNKIE’s World Premiere the day after on 10/26)!
Huge thanks to @americanfilminstitute and @canva for the opportunity💚

Tix are live on the AFI Fest site!

After a filmmaking process that kicked my ass into oblivion and quite literally had the crew trekking “through the mud” to get it done—I couldn’t be more elated to announce the time has finally come to share this baby with the world!!!
My debut feature, JUNKIE, will be World Premiering at AFI Fest in none other than Hollywood Blvd’s own Chinese Theater 🫠.

More news to come. Tix go on sale 10/06.

Stoked for all my peeps to come blow the roof off this festival 👊🏼💥

(Huge thanks to @americanfilminstitute and our Executive Producer @thepattyjenkins )💚

After a filmmaking process that kicked my ass into oblivion and quite literally had the crew trekking “through the mud” to get it done—I couldn’t be more elated to announce the time has finally come to share this baby with the world!!!
My debut feature, JUNKIE, will be World Premiering at AFI Fest in none other than Hollywood Blvd’s own Chinese Theater 🫠.

More news to come. Tix go on sale 10/06.

Stoked for all my peeps to come blow the roof off this festival 👊🏼💥

(Huge thanks to @americanfilminstitute and our Executive Producer @thepattyjenkins )💚

👩🏻‍🍳👨🏼‍🍳