New York Film Academy High School Summer Camp graduate Sara Eustáquio was a recent recipient of the Award of Merit at the IndieFest Awards Film Awards in Los Angeles for her debut narrative fiction short film “4242.”
The young Portuguese filmmaker had already been awarded with the Award of Merit Special Mention at the Best Shorts Competition, also in LA, and the Junior Winner Special Jury Prize at the Near Nazareth Film Festival, in Israel.
Inspired by true events, “4242” is about a teenager who leaves her home country, her family and friends, to live in another country in Europe.
“This story is important to tell because teenagers across the globe increasingly face similar situations as the character of ‘4242’,” says Eustáquio. “For several different reasons, many teens end up living in different countries where they may not even speak the same language. This story is not only about immigration, as we have seen in Europe, but also about the mix up of so many feelings during adolescence. Perhaps even feelings that may occur during adulthood: loneliness, confusion, the integration process in new spaces, the challenge of displacement both physical and spiritual.”
In addition to “4242,” the NYFA New York City Summer Camp grad also has a new micro short, “Mirror,” which she produced at NYFA to compete at several international film festivals.
“My time at NYFA taught me much more than I could have imagined,” said Eustáquio. “During this program, I learned about all the technical aspects of the filmmaking process in a fast-paced environment, as well as the importance of telling a story and how to tell a story. It was an amazing experience which deeply changed my perspective and encouraged me to move forward. NYFA helped me find my voice and definitely made me realize this what I want to do.”