Meet Jessica Henric | Film Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Henric and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, what is the most important factor behind your success?
My family. I think too many people think they have to get a “career” or pursue their dreams before having a family or “settling down,” especially women. My career would not have been possible without the support of my partner and becoming a mother, I did both those things very young, and I was told I was crazy to do it that way, but the stability and life experience I got from starting a family, gave me the foundation I needed to pursue the crazy and definitely not linear path of becoming a film director.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It would take a lot to cover the challenges and life events that lead me to filmmaking, but the short and sweet of it is, I went through some shit. I lost one of my parents and nearly lost a child, life gave me a hell of a ride, and I’d be lying if I questioned if I could hang on for all of it. If this is life, I thought, how the hell am I gonna make it? Then everything came full circle as it mysteriously does sometimes. I found myself alone, in a theatre watching a movie, and for a beautiful hour and twenty minutes, I forgot about all the craziness of my world. I found that peace again, that stillness. It was this inconspicuous moment that lit the spark in me again. So that night, I started to write. A few days later, I signed up to get my MBA in screenwriting; suddenly, life didn’t seem so scary anymore. I felt I had a purpose, I could make this world a better place, help a kid who was just like me by telling my stories, and sure maybe they would never get made, and maybe Hollywood would stay a faraway planet I could never reach, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t try. After all, it was my hero, Mr. King himself, who said, “Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.” Soon, I found myself graduating with honors, winning a few small competitions, then being awarded a fellowship to create my first short film. My stories were being read, watched, and experienced by other people, and I can’t think of anything greater than that. I like to think the stories I tell, while dark in theme, usually end on a hopeful note, my (mostly) female protagonists fight and win against the dark forces in their life, just like I felt I did in my own, and it’s my sincere hope, my stories will inspire the final girl in all of us.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a third-generation Floridian, so I am always nostalgic for old Florida. I absolutely love the Fanea. I think it captures the glamorous and strange nature of Miami. So a staycation there is always fun! For nostaglia and epic ice cream and diner-style food I go to Jaxson’s in Hollywood, FL. My grandmother brought my mother there as a child, so it’s pretty cool to visit it now as an adult with my own family. I also love going to Ampersand Studios in Wynwood to get some work done in a cool and electic environment. One of my favorite spots to grab a drink is Soho House, I adore the ocean breeze, vintage style & chill vibes. And if you are looking for some of the best cocktails definitely check out the broken shaker.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Honestly, there are so many people who I feel selflessly helped me along the way, and I hope to be able to give back to them someday soon. I like to give a shout-out to my university, Professor Michael Tabb, who gave me the confidence and mentorship to put my work out there. He wrote an amazing book called “Prewriting your screenplay” and always is giving back to the community. I’d also like to shout out FilmGate for believing in me and giving me a chance when no one else would. And last but not least, my manager Ryan Saul for taking a chance on a crazy kid like me and helping me get my work out there.

Website: www.ludushaus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jaydawn_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicahenric/

Other: https://www.dontletitinmovie.com/

Image Credits
– Stephen Henric, Ludus Haus