Creativity is often sparked by interest, but once that bridge has been crossed, the flowing possibilities for artistic expansion are endless. Actress and all-around performer Kim Friez didn’t shy away from the opportunity to extend her creative direction, so much so that she landed in the finals of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, with her body of work entitled FreeFormed.

The short film explores the theme of cultural identity and acceptance at a time when just about everything is in question. Artistic from an early age, Friez, whose real name is Kimberly Morris, recalled finding creative refuge at the junior centre every summer. As the years went on, she acted on instinct, honing her skill set in places and groups she considered her home away from home. She was part of the theatre club in high school, entering several Jamaica Cultural Development Commission competitions. By the time she graduated, Friez had joined the performing arts group known as QUILT.

While training to master her art as an actress and performer, she saw an opportunity to spread her wings and soar in a newfound direction: behind the camera. “When I got to work in production, creative direction piqued my curiosity about what I could contribute to the film industry,” she told The Gleaner. So in exploring these novel and thrilling capabilities, the thespian at heart unearthed this unimaginable joy.

This rollercoaster ride brought along with it a great sense of self-development. The more she evolved, the more changes she witnessed in her work, tackling different topical issues and unleashing natural untapped creative resources. Having the training as a performer gives her a better understanding of directing other actors and performers on stage; she knows what is to be said and what needs to be fixed.

Among her artistic mentors, she listed American film-maker Ava DuVernay. “I love Ava [DuVernay]. She’s amazing. Her passion for justice alone makes me see her as a hero. She makes you so uncomfortable that I find I’m having conversations with myself after watching one of her films,” she said. She made mention of the American film director Spike Lee, who she admires for being uncompromising and provocative with his work. And local actor and director Rayon McLean for his creative eye.

So what exactly inspired the short film? The creative director’s own history and identity surrounding the matter of hair. For her, this is personal. She recalls wearing a turban to work and being asked if perhaps her hairdo was getting in the way of opportunities. Puzzled as to why her hair had anything to do with her productivity and work ethic, Friez said she began to take stock, documenting times in which she had been turned down for a job because of her hair. This behavioural pattern gave birth to a film that seeks to act as a catalyst for change, “I’ve always wondered what the true meaning of freedom is. I was honoured to establish this in FreeFormed.”

Taking a year to put pen to paper, she trusted the process nonetheless, working with a concept she had in her head. Once she jumped that hurdle, she got a director of photography to jump on board the project. She admitted that the directing journey was easy because she had a talented and supportive team behind her vision. The cast and crew were incredible to work with: “I selected the men based on their hair; they both have free-formed hair. But I really wanted to show how impactful one can be in their own field, regardless of what persons think of their hair. One of them inspired his piece actually,” she said. Overall, it took Friez about two years to conceptualise and execute this project.

She found the support for young creatives to be lacking in the industry. For that reason, she is appreciative of her QUILT family. Support and the desire to creatively evolve stand as the backbone for the performing arts group. Going forward, she is giving the very support she requires to others in any way she can.

She is excited and grateful to know that she took the leap, and this is the result: regional recognition by experts in the film industry. “The Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival is huge! So to be selected for that, it’s just amazing,” she shared. Artistically, the film understood the assignment of relaying a strong and quality message in good timing. Riding on this lucky train, she hopes to expand her cinematic horizons and aims to play an even better version of herself. “Just knowing that my existence is greater than me, greater than any limiting beliefs I have had about myself, that’s enough to propel me forward. It’s all about the potential versus the will to execute,” Friez revealed.

So what’s next? More creating. There is another short experimental film in the pipeline which tackles the issue of mental health in women. She hopes to continuously dismantle societal norms with her work.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com