“Who am I to stand in the way of who I was chosen to be?” – Suzanne K. Barry
From a young age, many first-generation children experience the influence of their parents or guardians. Often times the influence may be something simple, such as the cultural food they may eat or maybe even the music they listen to at home.
A topic that some first-generation kids hear about early on relates to their career choice. We’ve all experienced our parents asking the infamous “What do you want to be when you grow up? up question. Often times children give responses such as “Ballerina, Fireman, Teacher etc… and somewhere in their response, they may have a parent convince them to choose a different profession. Many first gen. people will openly admit their parents made it very clear there were very few career options to be successful. This, we all know, makes it difficult for creative children to really dream about making a career using their own gifts and talents. The documentary Le Choisi shows what happens when first-generation children grow up, bet on themselves, go against the grain, and tap into their creativity professionally.
Image by: @fitsbyaf
Le Choisi, The Chosen (in English) is an extraordinary documentary showcasing the story of various first-generation individuals from different walks of life sharing their journey, what they believe defines success, and what led them to pursue their chosen careers.
C.V.C Entertainment had a chance to attend the screening and it was truly remarkable. Shot by the talented Leo Justiniano and directed by first-generation director & journalist Suzanne K. Barry, the documentary takes place mainly in Europe. While watching, viewers are introduced to French recording artists 4keus, Ligue 1 professional soccer player Lina Chabane, fashion designer Mimmy Yeboah and supermodel Baba Diop. Each of them answers a series of self-reflective questions posed by Barry that help us understand their own personal experiences and story. When asked what she considered to be the key to success, Lina answered, “The key to success includes work, patience — a lot of patience, and perseverance.” This was a very common theme for the four individuals involved in the documentary. All subjects cited patience, confidence, determination, and hard work as their formula for success.
A fascinating point regarding parents and their involvement in their children’s career choices came during Suzanne and fashion designer Mimmy Yeboah’s discussion. The two women discussed how important it is for parents to acknowledge their child’s interests and instead of deterring them away from what they enjoy, parents should focus on encouraging their kids.
Journalist & Film Director Suzanne K. Barry
Once the credits rolled and the floor opened up for questions & discussion and we got the chance to hear from the woman of the hour herself.
Q. Overall, viewers watching can get a sense of what you are trying to depict in the documentary, in your own words, what inspired you to tell this story and why now? Barry answered, “I made this film for myself. I knew inside of me that I had a lot of different interests than what I was pursuing. And then it was during the pandemic too, so I was kind of at a crossroads. I could go the safe route or I could go another way… You know? I didn’t want to regret or idk…not try. I thought about how many other people could be feeling just like me, where they are just like… “Okay, what should I do?” So then I thought about what I would want someone to tell me and I was like “I’m going to just make it” and that was it. I really made the movie for myself, but I knew if I could feel something and resonate with it, then everybody can. That’s literally it.
Q. A cliche topic — but it’s always interesting to hear. How did your parents react when you shared with them the career path you were interested in pursuing? My parents… my parents. Love you guys. I don’t want to single them out, but they’re definitely two different people. My mom was more like a “what?” She was like no. She wasn’t going to blatantly tell me no, but she would like try to sway me and try to get people to talk to me and I would know what she was doing and ignore. My dad is more of the type that’s like “Try anything, try it. If it doesn’t work, whatever. But, he says, ‘If you’re going to try it, you better try it well.”
What I tell them is they made me this way, if I have to blame anybody for the path that I am on, it’s them. Ever since I was a kid, I was always traveling, every summer they would send me and my brother somewhere by ourselves. My dad used to make me sit and he used to record documentaries and on the weekends instead of watching tv, he would make us sit and watch them.
Overall, whether you are considered first generation or simply a person who decided to go for it and follow your dreams add Le Choisi to your list of documentaries to watch. This film will motivate, encourage, and remind you— the viewer that we as humans are all truly remarkable and capable of reaching our wildest dreams. Now, it may not happen overnight, but with faith, hard work, determination, and a lot of patience you can be successful. How? It’s simple. In the words of director Suzanne K. Barry, your gifts were given to you, and you were chosen. Check out the trailer for Le Choisi below and share your thoughts. For those in the ATL area, Memento Gallery will debut the exhibition “Keepsakes and Artifacts” on June 17 from 1-4 p.m. The following weekend, June 24, Memento will screen the documentary film Le Choisi. Memento Gallery is located at 696 Somerset Terrace NE Suite C.
Who are you to deny yourself of your own gifts? That’s not your decision. If you believe in God, if you believe in anything like that, your gifts were given to you so you have to use them – Suzanne K. Barry
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