THE GRAND GESTURE

The Grand Gesture started as a short film script originally titled, "Valentine's Day," which is actually the worst title a film could possibly have, believe it or not. Written in March of 2017, that script was very different from the one that became The Grand Gesture. The characters were different, the ending was different, and it never felt like it was something that could be shot. Certainly not at the budget level at which I'd be operating.

The revelation that the film could be possible came when I walked into Citadel Houston for the first time. I looked around, saw that the geography of the venue was very similar to what I had imagined, and realized that this thing could really happen. After revisiting the script, and rewriting it several times, I rallied the troops.

I knew I could count on my trusty sidekick, Zeb Lunz. I got Adam Castillo involved, who later introduced me to Graeme Pereira. Without those guys, this film may never have been completed. (Fun fact: Graeme was originally intended to consult on the film's cinematography, due to questions about his availability. It wasn't until two days before we started shooting that we found out he'd be on set with us. What a champ.) The staff at Citadel Houston could not have been better to work with. I owe a lot to them. Michelle Magallon and David Gow were on board from the start. Michelle put me in touch with Ulysses Montoya, and the cast was set.

We shot for four nights. December 16th through December 19th, 2019. I made so many memories during those four nights. A small group of people dedicated to bringing this vision to life, for little reason other than the love of doing it. They showed me that not only was this film possible, but that anything is possible.

- Jack