BRONX TIMES REPORTER, AUG.BTR 27-SEPT. 2, 2021 49
New indie fi lm features NYC talent
BY JASON COHEN
“Sirena’s Gallery”is an independent
feature fi lm — with
roots local to NYC — that follows
a Salvadoran American
woman’s struggle as an art
gallery owner during the COVID
19 pandemic.
The story centers on Sirena,
recently widowed by
a husband who died by suicide,
who must quickly adapt
to self-isolation, grief-induced
visions and the virtual
world of e-commerce. The
fi lm, which was available for
streaming beginning on Aug.
21, was written and directed
by Christine Sloan Stoddard
of Brooklyn, and features
several cast members local
to NYC including Art Jones
and Disnie Sebastien of the
Bronx.
Sebastien, of the South
Bronx, is glad she had the
opportunity to be in a fi lm
during the pandemic. “When
things shut down Christine
Sloan Stoddard was one of
the fi rst who called me,” she
said to the Bronx Times.
While she only had a small
role in the fi lm, Sebastien said
the toughest part was fi lming
virtually. However, she liked
how the movie came out.
“It’s an emotional roller
coaster, but it’s also amazingly
edited,” she said. “This
girl Sloan Stoddard, she’s
incredible. She’s also very inspiring.”
Sebastien, 26, grew up in
the Caribbean and dreamed
of making it big on the silver
screen. She moved to NYC as
a teenager, and in 2019 graduated
from Lehman College
with a degree in multimedia
programming arts.
While she has only been
in a few movies, she dabbles
in many aspects of art, from
acting and directing to video
editing and house managing.
According to Sebastien, the
toughest part of being an actor
is landing a role.
“You can have a million
auditions and still not get
something,” she said.
Coming from the small
island of Dominica, she is
grateful to have had the opportunities
to work with people
like actress Keke Palmer.
She credits a lot of her success
to the Urban Stages Theater
in Manhattan, which she
said has been instrumental
in helping her make connections.
Looking to the future, Sebastien
is determined to keep
honing her craft and hopes to
one day get her big break.
“It’s always a challenge, but
I like a challenge,” she said.
“It’s something I’ve always
wanted to do.”
Jones, who works with
moving images, photography,
sound and objects, had a
cameo in the movie as an art
collector. Being shuttered inside
during the pandemic he
jumped at the opportunity to
act in a movie, even if it was
fi lmed on Zoom. While he prefers
to be behind the camera,
Jones, 48, enjoyed the acting
experience.
“I thought it was a nice
challenge,” he said. “Christine
Sloan Stoddard is a real organizer
and intuitive director.”
Jones, of Pelham Parkway,
grew up in the era of graffi ti
and hip-hop in the Bronx, so
art was always around him.
Another infl uence was his
mom, who was passionate
about music and singing and
often took him to museums.
“I’ve been creatively driven
since I was a kid,” he said.
With the move having just
been released, Jones hopes it
gives people some entertainment
during these troubling
times.
“Now that it’s done, I can’t
wait to tell everyone about it,”
he said.
Disnie Sebastien of the South Bronx
has a role in in the newly released
“Sirena’s Gallery.” Contributed photos
Visual artist Art Jones who had a small role in the “Sirena’s Gallery.”
James E. MaQuade, Owner
Family Owned & Operated for over 60 years
3535 East Tremont Avenue
Bronx, New York
718-792-0270
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