Pierre Desir (filmmaker)

Pierre Desir
Born August 22
Residence
  • Westerlo, New York, United States
  • San Diego, California, US
Alma mater
  • Queens University
  • University of California: Los Angeles
Occupation
  • Filmmaker
  • Professor
  • Artist

Pierre Hermann L. Desir Jr. is an American filmmaker, artist, and professor, currently working as a Lecturer at the University of California, San Diego. After he attended Davies College in London and traveled through Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Desir realized his passion for art and teaching. In art, he started with painting, moved to sculpting, and after a brief period of dabbling in journalism, he transitioned into film, receiving his MFA in Motion Picture Production at University of California, Los Angeles. He then moved back to sculpting while filming his process. In teaching, he started with arts and crafts as well as sculpting and moved into higher education after attending UCLA. One of his biggest challenges as a Haitian American filmmaker is the reception of his work due to the fact that it is highly experimental.

Early life

Pierre Desir’s parents were married in the 1940s. Desir was born to Pierre Hermann Desir Sr. who is Haitian and Nicolina Melchionna, who is Italian. Desir was born in Jersey City hospital where his mother worked, though his family was living in Harlem at the time. Very soon after his family moved to Jamaica, Queens, Long Island where Pierre spent his childhood. He was considered illegal in some states in the Union because of his racial heritage. His father, worked at the Haitian Delegation of the UN there in Parkway Village. It was because he lived there that he was able to make friends from all over the world, which was very different than the rest of the country, which was segregated. When he was 10 years old, his parents wanted to move to the country, so they bought a farm in upstate NY.

Education

Desir attended Jamaica High School in Jamaica, NY.[1] When 18, he left to go to school at Davies College in London, receiving a C.Ed. European Literature and History, in 1987.. After travelling through Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, he came back to the US, and worked various entry level positions and taught arts & crafts as well as ceramics to the mentally disturbed in Astoria, Queens,and taking classes in painting, ceramics, and sculpting at the School of Visual Arts, New York. He then went to Queens College, where he received a BA in African Studies in 19979. He then received his Masters in African History at UCLAInstead of studying for a PhD l he switched over to the MFA program and received his MFA in Film at UCLA in 1992.

Artistic career

Desir always has been artistic, and his mom and sister have always been supportive of him. His brother is supportive but critical, and his dad was disappointed in his choice to pursue art instead of Journalism, but still proud of him. In art, he started in painting, moved to sculpting, realized that he wanted his sculptures to move, moved onto film, and now he works mostly filming his process of making sculptures. Desir has struggled as a filmmaker financially, His film work is very experimental, even more so in his later work. Because of the strong experimental aspect his work is not well received, and it is often very hard for him to get it into festivals. It usually takes him years to complete his works.

Influences

He is a very pedantic person, but tries not to make his work pedantic. When he tried putting a political message into his work, he didn’t enjoy his work. He is inspired by Felonious Monk, who had a hard time being accepted as a jazz musician. He resents that as an African American, society expects him to deal with struggle in his work and it is liberating to him to refrain from engaging in the debate. He would like the public to appreciate his work, but it is not his goal to please the public. He was raised Catholic, but now he most closely relates to Buddhism, and closely puts weight in the idea of reincarnation. He also connects strongly with Vudun the West African origin of Voodoo and Native American mythology and tradition. His biggest influences in his work, in terms of style are Thelonious Monk, Akira Kurosawa, Orson Welles, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. He also appreciates and adapts the techniques of Keith Jarrett.

L.A. Rebellion

He was on the outskirts of the L.A. Rebellion, with most of the big players having left before he got to UCLA.[2] The LA Rebellion emerged at the time of a political awakening, when African Americans, Latinos, and others realized that the American Dream was not true.[3] There were exaggerated demands on the system, and the system pushing back. He was drawn into the movement during his time at UCLA because of his interest in film. He helped others with their work too, helping shoot and work on their films. In that way he was one of the unsung heroes of the rebellion, with his work challenging to digest, he has been able to gain recognition through the work of his colleagues.

Current life

He splits his time between San Diego where he currently a professor in the Communication department,[4] and his family farm in New York that he inherited. It is on that farm that he does most of his work and where he has his workshop.

Education career

He was inspired to become a professor by teaching mentally disturbed individuals in Astoria, Queens. In 2008, he and another black professor were denied tenure at Emerson College while all of the white candidates were granted tenure, this sparked an investigation by the NAACP because they believed that the denial was a product of racial discrimination.[5][6]

Filmography

Year Film Title Role Notes
In Progress Thelonious: Unknown Experiments in Flight Part 2 Director Poetry in Motion, on 16mm film.
In Progress Erzulie's Gift Director Experimental Film. Poetry in Motion, on 16mm film.
2007 Thelonious: Unknown Experiments in Flight Part 1 Director Poetry in Motion, on 16mm film.[10]
2006 Satchmo : The Arrival of Gabriel on a Wing and a Half-Note Director, co-writer, actor, co-producer Poetry in Motion, on 16mm film. 20Mins.[11][12]
2000 ZoNA Director, co-writer, actor, co-producer, Editor, Sound design. Narrative Feature, on 16mm film.[13]
1992 The Gods & The Thief Writer, director, editor, cinematographer Experimental/ Narrative, on 16mm film.[14]
1990 Work Writer, director, cinematographer, editor. Experimental, on 16mm film.
1988 Kakilambe Director A dance video of the Ballet Koumankale of Los Angeles.
1986-1987 Blockade Runners Director, camera operator, editor. A documentary about film production in Cuba, including interviews with Cuban film directors. Taped at the 7th Festival of New Latin American Cinema, Havana, Cuba, December 1985.
1985 Just a Job Director, co-writer, editor. A drama about the assassination of a union official by a "has been" secret agent.
1984 Edge Cinematographer, editor. An experimental film exploring the boundaries of light, shadow and film contrast.
1984 Impression of Cuba Director, camera editor. A documentary about the 14th Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade in Cuba.
In Progress Detroit: UnRuined Voices Cinematographer, camera operator, editor. Documentary Video by Kathryne Lindberg and Todd L. Duncan.
In Progress Bob Kaufman: When I Die, I Wont Stay Dead Cinematographer, camera operator. Documentary Video by Billy Woodberry
2005 The Brother Cinematographer, camera-operator. Narrative Feature, on Digital video by Eva Benedikt (San Antonio International film Festival 2006 (Audience Award, Best Feature); International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg, 2006)
2005 Trumpetistically Cinematographer, camera operator. Documentary, on multiple formats (video, film, DVCam) by Clora Bryant. ( National Black Programming Consortium Project Grant, $60k, November 2002; "Sneak Preview", Prized Pieces Film Festival, 20th Anniversary celebration, National Black Programming Consortium, Schomburg Center, New York; Area Premiere, 13th Annual Pan African Film Festival, Magic Johnson Theaters, Los Angeles)[15]
In Progress Planet Without a Visa: the Embattled Life of Leon Trotsky Cinematographer, camera operator. Documentary Feature Film by Lindy Laub[16]
1999 Compensation Cinematographer, camera operator, storyboard artist, script consultant. Narrative Feature by Zeinabu Davis (2002 Paul Robeson Prize, Best Film, Narrative Section; Newark Museum 28th Annual Black Film Festival; Gordon Parks Award, 1999 Independent Feature Market, NYC; “Outstanding Film” - Reel Black Award, Black Film & Video Network, Toronto; Independent Spirit Award Nomination, Best First Feature under $500k, IFP-West; Sundance Channel 2000-2003; BET Stars Network 2000-2003)[14][15]
1988 I Look Through a Window Cinematographer, camera operator. Documentary Feature Film by Stephen Edwards.
1988 Cycles Cinematographer, Camera Operator, Script Consultant Experimental Drama and Film Short by Zeinabu Davis. Many Awards.[14][15]
1987 Sweet Bird of Youth Cinematographer, camera operator. Film by Zeinabu Davis.
1986 Minstrels Cinematographer, camera operator. Documentary Film by Marie Kellier.
1986 Out of Arabie Cinematographer, camera operator. Narrative Film Short by Susan Evans.
1985 Throwing Strikes Cinematographer, camera operator. Narrative Film Short by Dino Castro.
1985 Audio Visual Cinematographer, camera operator. Narrative Film Short by David Strom.
1992 Golden Chickpeas Production sound recordist. Narrative Feature Film by Nigol Bezjian.
1988 No Not One Production sound recordist. Narrative Feature Film by George Gary.

Awards and exhibitions

Awards

Exhibitions

References

  1. ↑ "Pierre Desir | Jamaica High School | Jamaica, NY | Classmates.com is now part of - Memory Lane". Classmates.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  2. ↑ "What's in a Name? L.A. Rebellion | UCLA Film & Television Archive". Cinema.ucla.edu. October 28, 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Rebel Forces by Vera Brunner-Sung - Moving Image Source". Movingimagesource.us. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  4. ↑ "UCSD Communication - Courses". Communication.ucsd.edu. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Tenure And Diversity". Mindingthecampus.com. October 19, 2009. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Black Professor Denied Tenure at Emerson Vindicated by Report". Diverseeducation.com. February 16, 2010. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  7. ↑ "UCSD Communication - People". Communication.ucsd.edu. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  8. ↑ "My Experience with a Man-Eating Croc at the Lake Placid Film Festival (Just Kidding- about the croc, not about the festival)". Sagindie.org. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
  9. ↑ "Pierre Desir - Emerson College". RateMyProfessors.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  10. ↑ "THELONIOUS: UNKNOWN EXPERIMENTS IN FLIGHT: Amiens International Film Festival". Filmfestamiens.org. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  11. ↑ "SATCHMO: THE ARRIVAL OF GABRIEL ON A WING AND A HALF-NOTE: Amiens International Film Festival". Filmfestamiens.org. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
  12. ↑ http://www.balaganfilms.com/big-balagan-local-filmmakers-series-new-films-emerson-college. Retrieved March 19, 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ "Underground Film Festival Continues To Prosper - Page 2 - Chicago Tribune". Articles.chicagotribune.com. August 18, 2000. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 "The gods and the thief a film". Worldcat.org. October 15, 2001. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  15. 1 2 3 "Pierre Désir | UCLA Film & Television Archive". Cinema.ucla.edu. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  16. ↑ "2008 July « The Rustbelt Radical". Rustbeltradical.wordpress.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
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