written and directed by
RAVEN ANGELINE WHISNANT
Bernard Hess JR. is a self made man.
So self made, in fact, that everything he believes about himself is a lie.
The son of a famous record producer (Bernard Hess, Sr.) and an aspiring musician himself, Bernard has always contended with his mediocrity by desperately bluffing his way through his life. Like the world’s saddest con man, Bernard claims to be a visionary, a genius, a four-dimensional chess champion in a world of mere checker-players. In reality, he’s a well-meaning but deeply insecure amateur, with an inferiority complex a mile long and hardcore daddy issues. Bernard has commissioned a documentary crew to make a film about himself. He believes that this film will be a heroic story, charting his valiant rise from musician to music mogul as he attempts to follow in his dad’s footsteps. In reality, the camera crew documents a non-stop string of hilarious blunders and heartbreaking failures as Bernard reaches the limits of his ability to talk his way out of his mistakes. Equal parts comedy and touching coming-of-age story—albeit late age—Bernard is the story of an aspiring artist learning to adjust his expectations, drop the toxically alluring façade of the hustle, and rediscover what truly makes him happy.
Meet the director
As a filmmaker she has experience in many aspects of movie making, including directing, cinematography, editing, and writing. Her wide-ranging love of all aspects of film has of course led her to her current role as Producer, and she opened New 32 with her partners (and dear friends) in 2021. Her films have been featured in festivals across the country and internationally, and she has received awards for her work both directing and writing. Most notably, her most recent screenplay ‘Bernard gets famous’ has received 12 festival wins for ‘best screenplay’. In 2022 she was selected to participate in a Sundance lab, with her upcoming vintage Sci-fi comedy ‘Marsha: Astronaut Princess’. She is extremely grateful to all the people who have helped her along the way, and she loves being able to now pay it forward to new creators, particularly creating meaningful roles and opportunities for women and LGBTQIA+ folks!
