POUGHKEEPSIE – Gun violence in the City of Poughkeepsie is going to be the subject of a short film being produced in the city by award-winning filmmaker Hezues R next month. The film seeks to bring awareness to what Mayor Rob Rolison calls “the scourge of gun violence” that has plagued Poughkeepsie for decades.
Hezues R was known as Stewart Scott when he was shot during an attempted robbery at his Poughkeepsie home in 1991. He has returned to his hometown on several occasions, including the showing of his movie “Shots Fired” to Poughkeepsie High School students. “The movie was very well received,” said Debra Long, vice-president of the Poughkeepsie City School Board and director of the Family Services SNUG program.
The 41-year-old filmmaker is preparing for a Poughkeepsie film production of a movie directed at gun violence in the city. Long drew Mr. Scott back to Poughkeepsie to help with the SNUG mission of curbing gun violence. SNUG is “guns spelled backward, and the organization is under the umbrella of Family Services Inc. “This collaboration between Hezues and SNUG will benefit our entire city,” said Long.
The partnership, Long noted, is called “From Guns To Cameras” and the filmmaker said, “I want to target the shooters and change what they shoot.” The project is seeking “at-risk” youth to join in the production. Mayor Rolison called the production “A great story for the city.”
A statement from Family Services said “Hezues R has an extensive track record for giving back to urban communities nationally through Guns 4 Cameras, established in 2005, and more recently with the opening of the S.I.C. Film School, established in 2019 as an educational platform for content with social impact.
Hezues R ’s long list of accolades also includes being honored by U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the former for participation in the President’s Council on Financial Literacy and the latter as a Champion of Change for Hezues’ extensive work utilizing arts for violence prevention.”
Individuals interested in learning or participating in the production can email nshaw@hezuesr.com for information.
NEWS STORY PROVIDED BY: Mid Hudson News -www.midhudsonnews.com