Reminisce

Director - Leslie Morris

With over two decades of experience in television production, I've honed my craft as a director through a multifaceted journey. Through my work as a camera operator on iconic series such as Grey’s Anatomy, All Rise, and Terminal List, I developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of effective visual storytelling.

Complementing this hands-on experience, I dedicated a decade of my career to studying the Meisner technique at the esteemed Actors Workout Studio. This deep dive into the craft of acting has provided me with invaluable insights into character development and an actors process.

Thus, I am both an actors director as well as a technical director. However, it is my intuitive approach to filmmaking that defines my directorial style.

Director Statement

Relationships have always fascinated me, especially the lengths people go to for love. When Ashna wrote Reminisce, a film about a couple navigating a 25-year age gap and the resulting power imbalance, it immediately struck a chord with me. It brought back memories of my own experience in my early 20s, dating someone 10 years older.

At the time, I found myself giving up carefree moments with friends my age to socialize with my partner's older circle. Our financial situations differed significantly - I was fresh out of college, while they had a decade of career growth. Though we split rent proportionally, I couldn't match their lifestyle, leading to an evident power imbalance. Looking back, it wasn’t a great relationship. But was it a moment reflective of larger societal issues like those highlighted by the #MeToo movement? Or was it simply a poor choice on my part that turned into a valuable life lesson? This personal reflection is what drew me to direct Reminisce.

The film explores the complexities of age and power dynamics in relationships through the lens of a 55-year-old and a 30-year-old and highlights their different point of views. For me, this project
became an opportunity to examine not just the characters’ story but also my own past and the broader implications of power imbalances in love. As a director, I relished the opportunity to delve into the intricacies of human connections. It became evident to me that the success of a relationship isn't solely determined by the depth of their love. Rather, it's about what each person is willing to accept from their partner, and how those boundaries may shift over time.

In my exploration, I couldn't ignore the myriad of external pressures that couples face. Family expectations, deeply rooted cultural traditions, the ever-changing societal norms of each generation, and the often harsh judgments of peers all exert their influence. It is fascinating to observe how some partnerships flourish while others falter under the weight of these challenges. The only thing that I know for sure is the couples who endure, share a remarkable resilience. They manage to stay true to their love and to each other, even as the world around them demands conformity or change.