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Heartstorm

Directed by Jerry White Jr.

A young woman goes on a cathartic journey through memory and imagination inspired by the performances at an open mic. A self-love story of discovery, acceptance, and the transformative power of art.

Lucia is a closet poet, so when she attends an open mic for the first time and is faced with signing up to perform, she declines. She opts instead to just take it all in as an audience member and throughout the course of the evening her memory is triggered by the performances. Lucia is launched into a series of sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking flashbacks in which she is forced to examine her views on family, love, and queerness.

I’ve been making videos for most of my life now—VHS, Hi-8, Super-8, D8, HD, 4K, etc.—and while the technology has changed, my reasons for sticking with this life have remained pretty much the same. I love creative collaboration, I love unconventional storytelling, I care about expression, problem-solving, making memories with people I care about, and exploring real and fictional worlds. 

I’m a student of DIY guerilla filmmaking as well as a USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA grad. I produced a feature documentary called 20 Years of Madness that opened Slamdance 2015 (and won an Honorable Mention). After many years of striving and hoping and dreaming, I’m excited and proud to have directed my first feature film, Heartstorm.

Dates & Times

Theater 13, AMC Theater Plaza Bonita, Westfield

October 11, 2025
1:00 pm