Alexandra Dianefilm teacher

To the class or 2025,

Now that you are grown adults outside my classroom, I can finally say I must favorite well wishes.

Good Luck fuckers.

And I mean this in the most living way possible.

Because class of 2025, you are my graduating class’s mirror.

First, the dark reflection:

During our middle school years, we experienced the horrific event of Columbine and safety in schools changed. During your youth, we faced the tragedy of Parkland. Safety in schools has been transformed once again.

Desert War ended for us when we were young and for the class of 2025, the war in the middle east finally ended. Though not as smoothly as we would have wished.

The class of 2005 had their world forever changed with 9/11. Because of those horrific events, your lives will never know how simple traveling used to be. 2025 also faced a world changing event, covid. Your generation was shaped by the most isolating event in recent memory.

But your class, the class of 2025, didn’t shut down. I watched you all as eighth graders reached for one another and built each other up. I could not be more proud of how your class has strived to never be alone. Checking in with each other and reaching out when they were worried for a classmate. There are a few that I know I ensured saw the next day.

I never thought I would watch you all walk across the stage as grown adults. Parts of me wishes you wouldn’t reach the other side because I will deeply miss you all.

Now the brightness:

The class of 2025 I watcher you all see things you didn’t like about the class of 2024 and changed it. The mentorship and guidance you gave to the underclassmen in our program made every single one of them feel welcomed. You didn’t care for the spotlight and shared it. You built a team and encouraged them to grow and learn. I hope you keep this in mind whatever journey you find yourselves on.

Right now, it looks as if you will head into adulthood in a recession just like we did. And it may seem scary, but it’s not the end of the world. Just live. Travel everywhere. Eat all the delicious food. GO DANCE! And for the love of God, don’t worry about being cringe. Because when you do, you’ll miss out on everything.

You may have been told that you that you have to follow a certain path, but it’s all lies. Rules don’t exist. Get your degree now or travel the world. Doesn’t matter. Go back to school when you feel ready. Work in a blue collar job or a white collar job but do whatever brings you joy because life is too short. There is no promise of tomorrow.

So once again, good luck with adulthood. Remember everyday above ground is a good day. And when you wake up in the morning, it is your chance to start over and bring joy to the world.

So this may be a little disjointed. These were shower thoughts.

I went through film school, never having an answer to who my favorite filmmaker was. That was I did not care who made the movie as long as it was a good story. And I wasn’t following any writers because I knew it didn’t matter what the writer wrote. The production house would change their story. But as I got older, I noticed a trend. With my limited free time, my husband and I have found ourselves watching a lot of Guy Richie movies. And I look back and most of the films from college and I thoroughly enjoyed his films.

Although I couldn’t answer that, I now understand why I can answer it. I absolutely love how he is the writer and the director for most of the films he works on. I love his storytelling and his nuances. All the hidden clues he has throughout his films.

Right now we’re watching the Gentleman series. I LOVED the movie. The show follows the same story line. However, I was surprised to find out that I could differentiate the episodes he directed from those directed by other people.

I’ve never been one to follow someone’s body of work, especially with film. Which is odd since that’s what I choose to study in college. If anything, I follow authors. They have full control of the story released where filmmakers have far too many cooks in the kitchen that either things are forgotten, removed or someone adds way too much salt to the dish.

I think this is also why I’ve stopped going to the theater. Movies and shows seem to be more organic on streaming services. I’m not sure how true that is, but they seem closer to the filmmakers’ vision compared to a big box office release. We don’t see many directors coming out with a director’s cut for their Netflix film. In my mind, it’s because they released the film they wanted audiences to see.

When I was at FSPA last month, I was talking to a teacher from a rival school. Their students are notorious for creating well done films. One exercise they do with their students is to create a short emulating their favorite filmmaker. It got me to thinking, was there any party of a Guy Richie film I could show my students? Which then made me think of how heavily I would have to censor the dialogue or get parents to sign off on allowing their children to hear F bombs drop every other word. Which I don’t understand how that’s a problem since they do it anyway during class.

But now I have plans for the summer. Watch movies and see if I can find pieces to show that won’t offend their fragile little minds.

Tag: film teacher

Embrace Adulthood: Good Luck Class of 2025!

Shower Thoughts: Favorite Director