Charlene Jeter returns to the big screen with her Detroit 48 Hour Film Challenge submission ‘the Sisters’

Mark your calendars for August 7th.  At 3 PM Charlene Jeter returns to the big screen for her production of “The Sisters.”  A 48 Hour Film Challenge submission, this short film stars Charlene Jeter as (Weesie), Sean Lee (as Weesie’s husband Gary),  K’yana Finch (as Melissa ), Cicily Gooden (as Weesie’s sister Patty),  Foresteen Hood (as her sister Flor).  Included in the cast are Lisha Leelee (as Christy Turnaby) and Kyana Finch  (as Melissa).

In “The Sisters”, Weesie admires the love relationships her sisters have with their mates. Set in 1973, Weesie is forced to face the reality of her failed marriage with her husband when Patty’s husband Willie (Calvin Treadwell) returns home from Vietnam.

Directed by Charlene Jeter, this is the first time, certainly in over a year and a half, that she has participated in this Challenge.  Last year, because of the pandemic the Detroit 48 Film Challenge was canceled.  Over the years since she first participated in this challenge, Charlene has created some 17 different films for these competitive films.

These film challenges are as demanding as any sport. Each challenge has an allotted time in which a project must be completed. Just one minute late and a project is disqualified.  In the case of the 48 Hour Film Challenge Detroit, you have precisely 48 hours – 2 days – one weekend to make a film. Here’s the catch – you don’t know the genre of your film until right before the clock starts ticking! But until that moment, you have time to assemble a cast and crew, scout locations, and pull your gear together – putting everything in place for the filmmaking weekend.

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Charlene has been competing in film challenges since she entered the 2013 Ypsi 24-Hour Film Shootout.  Her short film, “The Infidelity Cure,” coming in at 6 minutes17 seconds, was her first.

Filmmakers from all over the Detroit area have competed to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours.  The 48 Hour Film Project weekend starts on a Friday night with the Kickoff Event for each city. At the Kickoff:

• Each team receives the genre for its film in a random drawing
• Then the required elements are announced – a character, a prop, and a line of dialogue – each of which must appear in all films

Then it is off to the races. Filmmakers have just forty-eight hours to write, shoot and edit their films.

Although a film may not finish first in any film challenge, what is completed is often good enough to find acceptance by film festivals throughout the world.  After these participating films have screened at the Redford Theater next week,  they will be allowed to be submitted by their respective filmmakers.

The films that do finish first are advanced to compete against films from around the world at Filmapalooza 2021 for a chance at the grand prize and an opportunity to screen at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 Short Film Corner.

To enter a film challenge you must bring your A-game. As demanding as each challenge is,  both physically and creatively,   Charlene has spent hours a day, weeks, and months in preparation for the challenge.

To improve her physical endurance,  Charlene spends hours a day exercising.  As well as being an active exercise enthusiast, she also plays golf, and she has entered her first tennis tournament this year.   You can say that Charlene Jeter is in it to win it.  Go, Charlene.  You have the spirit of a winner and we are rooting for you.