almost 3 years ago i got to watch the film my grandfather wrote for the first time. not only did i get to watch it, i got to experience the first showing in decades at the New Beverly Cinema. though my grandfather has long since passed, it was never a question that his dream was to become a writer. he’d written and acted in many things, some coming to fruition and some not— but buster and billie was different. after its original release, the negatives for its theatrical release were lost for 45 years and they were finally located in a Sony Pictures vault in 2019 and restored into copies on blu-ray and dvd. buster and billie was the first movie that ever made me cry. it added another layer to the man i didn’t the chance to fully know. he had passed before the negatives were found and sometimes i find myself wondering if he passed thinking that his work wasn’t impactful. but then i smile knowing it was. Quentin Tarantino bought the rights to show my grandfathers movie in his theater because it was one of his favorite stories. Tarantino also happened to be one of grandfathers favorite directors. when i was in that theater, my heart was beaming because my grandfather had achieved his goals beyond the grave. he passed when i was 6 and although i didnt know him extremely well, i think of him every time my creative career takes a step in the right direction. i think of him every time i feel like things might not turn out alright. he is such a huge inspiration and reminder that i can— and will— achieve my dreams. slowly but surely.
