Spotlights
Louis Holmes
The NYC firefighter, veteran, actor and producer behind DEADBEAT Documentary on turning his own story into film.
Spotlight Interview
Louis Holmes
Producer · DEADBEAT Documentary
Louis is a NYC Firefighter, Persian Gulf Veteran, actor and producer. His film DEADBEAT Documentary brings together a group of fathers, including Louis himself, sharing stories about their experience in Family Court.
Hello, could you please tell us a little bit more about your submitted project? How did you come up with such an original story?
DEADBEAT Documentary is about a group of Fathers including myself sharing stories about their experience in Family Court. With supporting testimonies from Judge Judy, Barack Obama, Vivek Ramaswamy and Bill Clinton. Highlighting events with Gabby Petito, Instagram Model Courtney Clenney and Rapper Lady SB. Shining light on what Fathers or Men go through in Family Courts. Wrongfully accused, false accusations, child support and meritless restraining orders. I came up with this story after being wrongfully accused in 2020 and alienated from my son.
Tell us something about yourself and your background. Do you remember the first movie you watched? Were you enthralled?
I am a NYC Firefighter, Persian Gulf Veteran, Actor and Producer. I don’t remember the first movie I watched.
Who are the directors that inspire you? What would be your favourite movie?
Directors that inspire me are Tyler Perry, Spike Lee, Robert Townsend, Martin Scorsese, Chazz Palminterri, Robert De Niro. My favorite movie is Bronx Tale.
Was there a particular time when you recognized that filmmaking is your way of telling stories?
When I was in the military, I had a lot of down time to myself and would daydream about telling stories in this form of art.
What are some of the biggest challenges you encountered in making this film?
Biggest challenge I encountered making this film was cutting the story down to make it shorter and copyrights.
What were the production realities from casting through editing that you had to accommodate?
The reality during editing was that we had to add stock footage because we weren’t able to get certain shots.
What are the audience reviews of your project?
We have been getting amazing reviews from the audience and received 5 awards so far.
Do you believe that a filmmaker should bring always something original or he/she should stick to classic but cinema styles?
Yes I believe it should always be original, this is what art is.
Do you think that film festivals are playing an important role in filmmaking industry? Why are they necessary? How do you get the most out of them?
Film festivals are the best way for producers to make a buzz and get exposure.
What are your future plans in your filmmaking career?
The goal is to make a movie drama version of the documentary.
From the Interview
“Film festivals are the best way for producers to make a buzz and get exposure.”
Louis Holmes
Curtain Call
More Voices From the Festival
Meet the rest of the filmmakers we spotlighted this season, or bring your own story to the Barcelona Indie Awards.