Los Angeles City College Cinema/TV student Debbie Su is living her dream after her Golden Globe Foundation–funded short film caught the attention of ‘Airplane!’ director David Zucker—who she’s now interning for.
Born and raised in the Philippines, I was the daughter of a pastor in a small church in Northern Mindanao. My parents fostered a natural curiosity and love for the world around us, and this contributed directly to my unique perspective when crafting stories. When I was 26, I saved up all my money and moved to Los Angeles to study film at LACC.
Fast forward two years, the Golden Globes Foundation contributed directly to my calling card film, a 13 minute dark comedy called “RIP in Peace”. It follows a man who is struggling with the loss of his friend while navigating comedic elements at the funeral. The grant was instrumental in making the film look and sound beautiful. My film then won 2nd place at our best-of-semester screening, audience voted.
I am grateful for the Golden Globes Foundation for believing in me and my film. Because I was given the grant, I pushed myself to strive for more and discovered opportunities for this film that elevated the quality astronomically. I was able to shoot on location in a mortuary, rent a new lens for a specific look, and hire a composer to score my music.
This film was a culmination of my skillset as a filmmaker. My most recent engagement had me co-directing a comedy course for David Zucker. I was very proud to show him and his producer “RIP in Peace” to showcase what my crew and I could do. I owe the Golden Globes Foundation my sincerest appreciation.
