Stephanie Jeter
Stephanie is a filmmaker residing in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating with the help of a writing scholarship from DePaul University's film program, Stephanie has spent the past nine years freelancing on various studio films and network TV shows. With the practical skills she's acquired, Stephanie has returned to her creative roots as a speculative and mystery storyteller, taking bold steps forward in telling fresh narratives with new perspectives. She is currently developing feature length, television, and short form projects.
Viktory
A young foster girl, navigates a difficult home life with the help of an older foster brother to dream beyond the present and pursue dreams of being a dancer.
Every year in Chicago, there are thousands of children who enter the foster care system and are never returned to their families. These children are predominantly black. Of the fraction who are placed in permanent homes and eventually adopted, 90% of them will be placed in a home outside their own race.
31 years ago, I was one of those children. I believe firmly in the power of representation, and in stories to connect people from different walks of life. There are problems within the American foster care system as a whole and unique struggles for all foster children across the nation; but Chicago is unique in the fact that the majority of children taken from their homes are black children who will either age out of the system at greater risk for homelessness, drug abuse, and to become incarcerated, or placed in homes where they will be raised cross culturally.
Can we talk about that, and what the long term consequences that has on us as a city and a culture?
And most importantly, where do this kids get to see themselves or hear their story told?
