Director's Statement

Growing up as a teen in this digital era, I experienced everything in social media. From getting compliments to getting cyber bullied. I directed this film, Forbidden Fruit, after realizing one morning that I'm too dependent on social media. I want the viewers to open their eyes and refresh themselves that we are more than who we are online. I was inspired by coming-of-age films since they give us comfort that we are not alone in those certain situations.

Most of us had those experiences, where we were overwhelmed with social media interactions and knowledge in social media are gathered by personal experiences. That is the film's point: to take a break from the internet and appreciate life more. Working with this crew was enjoyable because we all knew what we were doing and each of us had our own specialties. One major challenge was shooting during a pandemic; some of my crew members became ill, which led me to push through with the film lacking a few members. I chose black and white to represent the digital versions of ourselves, which will never be our true selves. I also used a 4:3 aspect ratio to give the impression of being cornered or bounded. Making this film helped me deal with the struggles I encountered years ago.