"happyback"
A Short film.
*Produced in Collaboration with The Hartt Theatre Division &
The Finding My Voice Workshop Initiative at The University of Hartford
Director: Joni Weisfeld
Associate Director/Sound Design: Adam Bintz
Filmed and edited by: Jainesse Rodriguez
Featuring: Khalil Carim, Emily Duckman, Emily Massicotte, Milo Meole and Natalia Ortiz-Villacorta
'happyback began development in 2024 as a classroom project in The Hartt Theater Division at The University of Hartford. I was lucky enough to collaborate with ten passionate theater students to devise material based on the idea of happiness. What would make us truly happy? Our research led us to The World Happiness Report which classified Finland as the happiest place on earth. The United States came in 23rd. The students and I began to focus our attention on what it takes to be a happy American, especially in the formative years between ages 19-23. This project morphed into a short film based on an idea planted in my brain by The Theater Department Chair, Kevin Ramsey. I have worked as an actor and director in live performance for over thirty years, and never felt that I would venture into film. This medium has excited and challenged me in ways I could have never imagined. Maybe that’s all happiness is. Or not. Honestly, I’m still figuring it out… ‘
-Joni Weisfeld
Watch the film here:
The Finding My Voice Workshop Initiative at The University of Hartford
Director: Joni Weisfeld
Associate Director/Sound Design: Adam Bintz
Filmed and edited by: Jainesse Rodriguez
Featuring: Khalil Carim, Emily Duckman, Emily Massicotte, Milo Meole and Natalia Ortiz-Villacorta
'happyback began development in 2024 as a classroom project in The Hartt Theater Division at The University of Hartford. I was lucky enough to collaborate with ten passionate theater students to devise material based on the idea of happiness. What would make us truly happy? Our research led us to The World Happiness Report which classified Finland as the happiest place on earth. The United States came in 23rd. The students and I began to focus our attention on what it takes to be a happy American, especially in the formative years between ages 19-23. This project morphed into a short film based on an idea planted in my brain by The Theater Department Chair, Kevin Ramsey. I have worked as an actor and director in live performance for over thirty years, and never felt that I would venture into film. This medium has excited and challenged me in ways I could have never imagined. Maybe that’s all happiness is. Or not. Honestly, I’m still figuring it out… ‘
-Joni Weisfeld
Watch the film here: