Gen Z focus of new documentary made in Rochester
In 2019, School of The Arts senior Isaiah Santiago made a Facebook post forecasting his future.
"I'm at the movie theater getting ready to watch Aladdin, then I thought, I'm going to be on this big screen one day, and I can't wait for it," the post states.
Three years later, Santiago's prediction has come to fruition. On Saturday, he'll get the chance to watch himself on the big screen as part of a locally produced documentary based on how Rochester's youth dealt with the world shutting down and the racial reckoning of 2020.
"It was a hard year, but I feel like it was one of the best years as far as me growing," Santiago said.
The documentary film "Generation Z" was produced and directed by Joyce Jones.
Her vision for the film was to gather firsthand accounts of how Rochester's Gen Z dealt with the pandemic challenges while uncovering their thoughts on the future.
"This is something they've never experienced," Jones said. "Can you imagine being taken away from your friends that you hang out with every day? Social distance ain't good for nobody, especially kids."
The children that Jones selected for her project gathered at Village Gate earlier this year for a photo shoot to promote the documentary and share their stories.
A teenager featured in the documentary, Sienna Brown, discussed her troubles getting an education during the pandemic.
"It was a struggle and my grades dropped down," Brown said. "It was kind of nerve-wracking keeping up with everything online and having to join zoom calls. It was just a lot."
Through the battles, Brown learned valuable lessons that she believes will serve her well in the future.
"I learned to work harder and stay on top of things," Brown said. "If I need help with something, I just have to ask because things work out how you make them work out."
As Jones began to edit her film in 2021, she felt Gen Z children were getting a bad rap in public discussions on crime and violence. Her movie shows a different side of the city's youth as her subjects used the pandemic as an opportunity to grow and cultivate hobbies and skills.
"I got better at basketball, but I got better as a person in general," said Ryan Northington, who is also featured in the film. "I was able to hop in the Bible a little bit more and really understand more about people."
"Generation Z" premieres Saturday, June 4 at Movies 10, 2609 West Henrietta Road, at 1 p.m.
Jones said she believes those in attendance will leave with a sense that Rochester's future is as bright as the stars of her film.
"A lot of times in the media, you see kids doing negative things in the city," Santiago said. "But as you can see here today, we've got a whole bunch of talented, young, awesome people.
Contact Robert Bell at: rlbell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram: @byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Gen Z focus of new documentary made in Rochester NY
