The Series
"Parts Unknown" meets the "Up Series" with a hint of "Side by Side"
CINEMA NOMAD is an arts and culture focused international travel series that explores each country and culture through a look at the country’s past, present and future of cinema.
CINEMA NOMAD takes audiences on a journey around the world through the eyes and experiences of 33 year-old filmmakers from a diverse set of backgrounds. Each episode features an inspiring individual making films against all odds.
We present timeless and universal stories centered around human emotions; relatable struggles; and the inspiring journeys through life, while overcoming its many obstacles. For the filmmakers we feature, some of these obstacles include censorship on freedom of expression, gender inequalities, lack of funding, lack of electricity and lack of distribution options.
Each episode has its own unique look and feel due to the vast diversity of landscapes and locales that we visit, such as the ancient history of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, the colorful markets of Ghana, the volcanic mountainside of Uganda, the fjords of Iceland during the Winter Solstice and the rhythmic nightlife of Havana, Cuba.
Every episode features an established or up-and-coming, approximately 33-year-old professional film director from that country and delves into the individual’s hopes, dreams, desires and obstacles they face as thirty-somethings on their own home turf.
We integrate into the day-to-day lives of the filmmakers and visit their homes, neighborhoods, work places, hang-outs, and the locations that inspire their creative sensibilities. We meet their friends and family, and see the current issues in their lives and societies.
Where do they find their creative voice and what propels them forward as filmmakers? How does cinema reflect the culture they live in? What stories are they compelled to tell through their movies?
The CINEMA NOMAD team has chosen to cross borders and connect across cultures to create and foster positive experiences around the globe through cinema. We truly believe that by doing so, not only enriches our individual lives, rather, the experience touches the lives of everyone CINEMA NOMAD comes into contact with: the filmmakers, whom we feature and who’s stories we share with the rest of the world; and the domestic and international audiences who will get to see these stories come to life on screen.
The Film Festival
In September 2024, The “33 and Me” film project put on the 33 and Me Filmmakers Film to showcase the films made by 33, 33-year-old filmmakers from over 33 different countries around the world. The film festival further emphasizes the impact of “33 and Me,” which is to exhibit the talents of people around the world and share their stories with audiences who might never get to physically see or know the places these filmmakers represent.
44 and More
In eleven years from the start of 33 and Me, we intend to revisit our initial “33 and Me” filmmakers, who will then be approximately 44-years-old, and do a follow-up series exploring how their lives and careers have changed in the interim years. Are they still filmmakers? What types of films are they making eleven years later? Who has become the more “successful” ones of the group? How has their world view changed since we first met them?
This concept is inspired by the renowned documentary series, “The Up Series,” which took a group of seven-year-olds from various socio-economic backgrounds in London in 1964 and interviewed them about their lives and dreams every seven years. In 2019, the latest installment, “63 Up,” was released in movie theaters.
A Novel
Stephanie is writing a book about her personal experiences traveling the world as a 33-year-old filmmaker in search of adventure, knowledge and collaboration. Through the book, Stephanie is able to expand upon ideas and share more detailed stories about her experiences in the countries she features. The book will be a travel memoir similar to Eat, Pray, Love or Wild and can be optioned for a feature narrative film.
A Book of Photographs
Director of photography, Duprelon “Tizzz” Tizdale, who was a travel photographer before becoming a filmmaker, will publish a book of photographs from the diverse landscapes and encounters with the people and places of our “33 and Me” travels.
Cinema Nomad Interactive Passort Themed Website
The Cinema Nomad series website is where visitors can virtually travel to all the “33 and Me” countries to learn more about the history and cinema of each country, as well as more information about the filmmakers; and see behind-the- scenes videos, travelogs, and extra interviews about “33 and Me.”