Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharee Silerio.
Hi Sharee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
An enthusiastic student of life, I have an MA in media communications from Webster University as well as a BA in communication with a film studies certificate from St. Louis University.
My desire to make sure Black women and girls feel accepted and valued through my work comes from my personal experiences moving to a predominantly white neighborhood after living in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
Since I often felt out of place, watching movies, music videos and sitcoms became my refuge. Expressing myself through poetry; videotaping myself lip syncing and dancing to my favorite R&B and Pop bops; reciting monologues on the family camcorder; and recording my sister act out scenes of a horror film I wrote allowed me to be and see myself.
At St. Louis University, I was the first Black reporter and anchor for the campus TV news program, and my interests in writing and film merged when I took film classes and wrote my first screenplay. After Graduate school, I became an intern at STL TV, where I was quickly promoted to a producer and helped write and launch an entertainment news show.
A few years later, I was selected out of over 100 applicants to participate in Continuity’s inaugural media training program, where I produced several three-to-four-minute short documentaries.
One of the short docs I created as a participant in the cohort – “The Mountains That Made Me” – was selected for the 18th Annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase plus invited to screen at the 27th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival as part of the Doc Shorts: Black Voices line up.
After graduating from Continuity’s program, I worked as a Production Assistant on projects such as “Rhythm and Flow” (Netflix), “The Disappearance of Phoenix Coldon” (Oxygen), “Hart of the City: St. Louis” (Comedy Central), “The Busch Family Brewed” (MTV) and more.
My first crew-produced, crowd-funded documentary, a short about mental health titled “Black Girl, Bleu”, was completed in 2020. It was selected to screen at film festivals across the U.S., including the African American Film Marketplace and S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase, the Denton Black Film Festival, The Micheaux Film Festival, the BronzeLens Film Festival, and the Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival.
“Black Girl, Bleu” has won multiple film festival awards, from Outstanding Special Programming (The Micheaux Film Festival) to Best Mental Health Promotion (Believe Psychology Film Festival), and an Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short (St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Just like the journeys of characters in our favorite movies and television shows, my life has been full of highs, lows and difficulties.
Being Black, and a woman has been challenging for many reasons. For example, I’ve been in work environments where I’ve been expected to power through in spite of asking for help, supporting this idea that Black women are superhuman and can take a lot without assistance. There have been times when the way I looked, such as wearing braids was frowned upon. One time, after I straightened my kinky curls, a director told me “I like your hair that way”. So at times, simply showing up as who I am and was born to be can cause anxiety or frustration, but I choose to be who I am unapologetically, no matter what.
After graduating from Webster University, my student job with a government entity ended abruptly, so I ended up unemployed. On one of my last days at work, a co-worker asked me what I was going to do next. I told her that I was going to pursue my dreams in film and television, and she angrily responded with “You’re too nice for that industry, they’re going to eat you alive. Don’t stay on unemployment too long.”
This caught me by surprise and cast a bit of doubt on my plan because for a minute, I wondered if she was right. It took a couple of years after this experience for me to get the nerve to move towards my plans, but I’m so happy I didn’t let her words ring true.
Another obstacle has been debt, which is a mountain I’ve been climbing for several years, from credit cards to auto and student loans. There was a time when I was overwhelmed and felt like I had to get rid of all of this debt to pursue my dreams, but there was a bigger part of me that knew I couldn’t wait that long.
So I decided to do what I needed to do anyway, and amazingly, doing so allowed me to be in a position to get rid of $20k or so of debt within a year. If I had waited for the right moment – namely being debt-free – I would have still been waiting.
Lastly, I have dealt with anxiety and depression on and off for the past several years, though I believe I’ve lived with one or both for most of life. When my Uncle passed away unexpectedly in 2016 (along with four other family members within a five-month timeframe), I became depressed and overwhelmed. You couldn’t tell from the outside looking in, because I was still smiling, grinding and bringing my dreams to life. My experience with depression was the catalyst for Black Girl, Bleu.
There were also challenges in making this film, because between the time I received the grant to make it, and the month we filmed it, two of my aunts, plus my film mentor passed away. Grief has been a devastating part of my story, that I am blessed to say I have made it through, more healed, at peace and appreciative of every moment I have breath in my lungs.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a writer and filmmaker who tells stories where Black women and girls exist as full human beings on screen and feel seen, heard, loved, and affirmed beyond the screen.
From documentaries to digital series’ and narrative films, my mission is to use intimate and authentic storytelling to explore the truth, magic, and beauty of being Black. My dream is to continue telling stories that move audiences to confront biases, cultivate empathy and encourage vulnerability.
I’m known for creating content that gets to the heart of the matter, moves audiences and encourages people to view life from a different perspective.
Through writing, I pour my heart out by sharing my experiences with mental health, trauma and faith along with wisdom I’ve gathered along the way. I also produce feature stories on Black entertainment news and social justice.
What sets me apart from others is the tender, heartfelt, authentic rawness of the stories I tell. I know exactly who I’m creating for – Black women and girls. I also know what I want them to see, know and believe to be true about themselves – past, present and future.
I’m most proud of Black Girl, Bleu, and it being a short documentary that offers healing, freedom and hope to the Black women and people who view it. It affirms that I’m on the right path and should keep following my heart when it comes to bringing stories to life.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Readers can visit https://blackgirlbleu.com to subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to learn about upcoming screenings, events and more!
I’m currently booking virtual screenings of the film at mental health and social service organizations, churches, universities and more. If readers are interested in securing a screening, they can visit https://blackgirlbleu.com/screening.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shareesilerio.com/ and https://blackgirlbleu.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ShareeSilerio and https://www.instagram.com/black.girl.bleu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShareeSilerio and https://www.facebook.com/BlackGirlBleu
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShareeSilerio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCumhUVWT8Sv7pJJxDWyichA and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSciWsGnn535z2M6WakhCXw
Image Credits
Mena Darré
Black Girl
Bleu
Chloe Owens Film
Brittney Butler
