We are excited to introduce you to Remoy Philip,
one of Hurdle's producers, on the blog today.
Remoy Philip in Gibraltar researching his first musical story production, ‘My Anna of the Sea.’
Remoy is a NYC-based editorial journalist and creative producer. His work has taken him around the globe telling stories of underserved and marginalized people groups, resulting in humanization and audience activism. Remoy also co-founded Theo Media with our Director/Producer Michael Rowley in 2016.
But that's enough biography — we asked Remoy to tell us in his own words why he is passionate about telling Hurdle's story. Here's what he said:
Growing up in West Texas, my mom had this ever-growing collection of VHSs. On weekends I’d wake up early, push one into the VCR, and get lost in the adventure. Big, Forrest Gump, and The Breakfast Club were some of my favorites. But I’m the son of South-Asian immigrants and from all those movies I grew up with, none of them came close to reflecting my everyday life. The way my grandma wore her gold shimmering saris to church on Sunday, how my mom taught me to eat spicy curry dinners with my hands, or the way my jet black hair curled in waves against my dark brown skin, I saw none of that in those movies (unless it was some sort of gross stereotype). And with that inability to see myself, I began to form an unhealthy view of myself while society at large formed inaccurate conceptions of me and my family.
That’s why I wanted to be a part of making Hurdle. Because I know how important movies can be in forming your own identity and because no matter where in the world you live or what religion you believe in, you deserve to have your story told accurately. You deserve to be the hero of your story—Jason Bourne-ing off of buildings and running up walls. You deserve to take part in your family’s traditions and not be demonized for it. You deserve to be your town’s storyteller and share everything from the prison-like walls to the rubber bullets to the bulldozers that are erasing your family’s history.
I’m so incredibly humbled to get to be a part in the documentary making process. But more so, I’m so excited to help people across the world who haven’t gotten a fair shot at telling their stories. That’s why I’m proud to be working on Hurdle.