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    • Sonja DeVries

    Sonja DeVries

    Filmmaker/Activist

    Gay Cuba

    Louisville, KY USA

    “I'm gonna do my work, and I'm gonna try to learn from other people's work, but I'm not going to compare the two. We each have what we bring to our work, and it's always unique.”

    Videos

    Videos

    By Roadtrip Nation

    Sonja DeVries

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    Sonja DeVries HighlightInterview Highlight
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    InterviewThe Interview
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    Stop Comparing MyselfInterview Excerpt
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    Milestones

    Milestones

    My road in life has been direct.
    She was working as a freelance journalist, producing articles about Cuba.
    An NGO approached her and asked if she'd like to help them make a documentary about Cuba.
    She said, "I don't know anything about filmmaking," they replied, "Neither do we," and somehow, the film got made.
    Says that once she dove in, filmmaking clicked almost immediately.
    She'd always seen filmmaking as a skill she'd up on a pedestal, but once she tried it, she realized she could totally make it her career.
    Talking to her documentary subjects intimidated her at first because she hadn't had any schooling in film, didn't feel like she was good enough.
    But eventually, she found confidence in herself and in the project, and that was a major turning point.
    Says another huge revelation was when she taught herself to learn from other filmmakers, rather than compare her work with theirs.
    Career

    Career

    Filmmaker/Activist

    I'm an activist and I make documentary films about issues that are important to me to share with the world.

    Career Roadmap

    Roadmap
    My work combines:
    My work combines:
    Film
    Film
    Non-Profit Organizations
    Non-Profit Organizations
    Upholding a Cause and Belief
    Upholding a Cause and Belief

    Hurdles

    Hurdles

    The Noise I Shed

    From Myself:

    "What am I doing? I don't belong here."

    Filmmakers had always seemed like they were on a pedestal compared to where I was. I was very intimidated because I had no schooling or experience. It was definitely a personal issue of not feeling good enough, but I learned how to stop comparing myself to others and instead learn from them.

    Challenges I Overcame

    Imposter Syndrome
    Imposter Syndrome

    I never went to film school or had any formal training. I got into filmmaking by accident in my 30s and had to learn everything from scratch. I would compare myself to others and feel like I was never good enough.