Daily Inspiration: Meet Cedric Christophorus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cedric Christophorus.

Hi Cedric, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Storytelling has always been a fundamental part of my childhood. I vividly remember creating mini-skits during lunch breaks and even setting up my own home theater box office when I was in primary school in Indonesia. I participated in national-scale filmmaking competitions during both middle school and high school, which allowed me to hone my craft. I came to the U.S. with the hope of breaking into Hollywood. Just a year ago, I couldn’t have imagined that today, I would be an active filmmaker and a media educator. I’m fortunate to work at ARRAY, one of the leading Black-owned production companies in the U.S., founded by Ava DuVernay. Here, I create social and educational activations for the films on our slate.

Simultaneously, I’m an independent creator, and my work has been recognized by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture (FLS2N – Ruang Publik) and has been in competition for the Student Emmys (National Student Production Awards – To Him). My goal as an artist is to champion and create more narratives that explore the intersections of religiosity, gender, and race.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has never been a smooth road. I am an international student limited by the ongoing uncertainty of my visa status, a queer man whose home country and extended family would reject him for his sexual orientation, and also a racial minority here in the United States. These aspects of my life occupy my thoughts every day. There were times when I doubted if my craft was good enough to justify my continued stay in the United States. There were moments when I feared deportation due to my inability to secure any full-time positions. However, all it took was one single person who believed in my ability to jumpstart my career as a creative here in this foreign land.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As I mentioned in the previous question, I am a filmmaker and a media educator. I believe that films are not only vehicles for entertainment but also tools for education. Films should serve as mediums for reflection on the brokenness of humankind and as instruments for fostering empathy. Through my films, I have always been interested in exploring the themes of religiosity, gender, and race.

Two of the short films that I am most proud of are titled “Icing on Her Cake” and “To Him.” “Icing on Her Cake” is currently in post-production and tells the story of a reserved Southeast Asian who tries to understand the life of her “American” housemate through their shared groceries, sticky notes, and voicemails. “To Him,” on the other hand, is the first queer love story that I wrote and directed. While the story itself is crafted in a way that makes it digestible to non-cinephiles, it was monumental at the time because we premiered at a conservative Christian liberal arts college where I studied. We wanted to show people that queer narratives should be normalized and can thrive in these settings.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
In the entertainment industry, I cannot emphasize enough how crucial networking is; it can make a significant difference in your career. While it’s essential to reach out to individuals you wish to connect with, avoid sending spam emails or messages that lack authenticity. It becomes evident if you’re only seeking a connection for the sole purpose of securing a job or a gig. Tailor each email or outreach to the specific person you’re reaching out to, and be genuine in how you present yourself and your inquiries. A useful tip that I got when I was still in college was: to make a goal to reach out to at least five people a day. That entails researching and truly understanding them as a person and creating five distinct outreach emails that you will send to them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cedric-christophorus.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cedrictjaha/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophorus-cedric/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@christophoruscedric639

Image Credits
Delvin Fernando Owen Nathanael