Student and filmmaker: Marking moments through music
Tiyen Simmons' short film, "Heard," to play at Short Film Rerun Series on Feb. 26
By Sarah Shoaf, Staff Writer
Governors State University (GovState) student and filmmaker, Tiyen Simmons, turns to music to mark memories, something that influenced one of his first projects as a graduate student.
“I feel like music sets the vibe and sets the tone, so I kind of bookmark memories with music,” said Tiyen, who’s currently a student in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program. “I remember what song I would listen to when I was seven and my dad would take me to the movies.”
This connection to music inspired Tiyen’s short film, “Heard,” which is set to run in the upcoming Short Film Rerun Series on February 26, a free event held by Chicago Southland International Film Festival (CSIFF) in partnership with the Park Forest Public Library.
The film’s protagonist, Jasmine, has lost her significant other, someone she connected with over music, and finds herself almost haunted by one song, their song, that triggers her memories. Faced with this situation, Jasmine must decide between holding onto the pain or letting it go.
“I wanted to show how she was kind of down and out after her partner passed, and how she feels this courage to let go and continue grieving, to get better and not really move on, but to pivot a little,” said Tiyen, who wanted to showcase how music can take people back to a space or atmosphere.
Tiyen added that another motivation behind the film’s idea connects back to the film’s lead actress, his sister, who lost her friend in a car accident.
“I think it was kind of cathartic for her to be playing a role of someone who lost their significant other,” said Tiyen.
With the film showcase coming up, Tiyen reflected on what it means to have this film featured, one of the first assignments he completed as an MFA student, which was also shown in a 2023 GovState student film showcase.
“Considering it was my first film, kind of ever really, it feels good to see that people resonated with it and wanted to see more,” said Tiyen. “It’s a really gratifying feeling as an artist, as a filmmaker, to have people like your work.”
“I’m very appreciative to be showcased amongst other filmmakers that have really, really great films,” added Tiyen. “I feel honored to just be in that conversation.”
For more information on the film rerun series and to RSVP, click here.