Meet José CHALIT HERNANDEZ | Filmmaker, Community Builder, Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with José CHALIT HERNANDEZ and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi José, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is the success of others: my teammates, my participants, my colleagues and crew. I’ve always believed in participatory filmmaking and egalitarian community-building, so whatever the project or venture, my hope is to produce films in such a way that everyone gets to have an active voice and feels some sense of ownership in the final product. Coming from a background of community organizing and activism, this is a vital component of what I consider to be the success of my brand and personal career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art focus has always been emotional and authentic storytelling. There’s a lot of ways to affect social change, and I believe every form has a place. My role as an artist has always been to craft stories that show beauty and potential, and inspire rather than anger. My most recent documentary, “Homelands”, is a portrait of a small crew of Lakota tree planters that put their hearts and souls into the healing of the Earth. It’s not an educational, didactic, or political documentary. It’s meant to be a poetic piece, and my hope is to affect the viewer’s heart and mind through that form.

It’s not easy because modern media and storytelling has become shorter every day, and attention spans are decreasing. So not many people want to sit and meditate through a film, or a book, or a poem. But I feel confident that it is good for all of us to slow down and listen to each other, especially in the increasingly divisive and hostile society many of us believe we live in. I am most proud and excited about Homelands, because we all have a lot to learn from Indigenous climate leaders right now, and my hope with that project has been to encourage viewers to slow down, listen, and learn.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In the northern part of the state, I love what the tight-knit music and arts scene has to offer from all the local craft stores and markets, to the many music venues that host regular shows of local and national bands. The hikes near Fort Collins are also gorgeous and easy to access, but of course no one can visit me without meeting my awesome coworkers at Trees, Water & People.

Denver also has an awesome burgeoning music scene, so I usually take people to South Broadway to explore vintage shops and dive bars. I recently fell in love with a pupuseria in Aurora as well, and would recommend any visitor to venture out a little bit from the touristy spots to find and support small family owned businesses. Tocabe is also a delicious Native American eatery in Denver that I recommend.

Outside of the city, I’ve fallen in love with the southwest towns such as Alamosa, Gunnison, and Buena Vista – hiking, craft beers, and local museums are the best in that area. Special shoutout to the Luther Bean museum in Alamosa as well, you will not be disappointed if you visit that special place.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, none of my personal growth and ambitions would be possible without the support of my family. We moved to the U.S. in 2001 from Mexico City, and have been through many trials and tribulations together. I credit my family for encouraging me to pursue my passions and always supporting my dreams despite everything we’ve had to go through to integrate into this country.

I also credit all the amazing collaborators and mentors I’ve had over the years ranging from high school and college professors at Jesuit institutions, filmmaker friends and mentors, and union organizers around the country that have invited me to organize alongside them and take part in their success stories (Families Unidas for la Justice, UNITE HERE). I specifically want to name all my colleagues at Trees, Water & People and Evan Barrientos as well for being my biggest supporters in the last 5 years, without whom none of my recent filmmaking projects or personal growth would have been possible.

Website: www.jemiliochalit.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jemiliochalit/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josé-chalit-hernandez-8695bb3a/

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/jemiliochalit

Image Credits
Horizontal header photo: Evan Barrientos Portraits with white backdrop: Evan Barrientos