TRUE COLORS
GREATLAND STUDIOS ORIGINAL | SHORT DOCUMENTARY
True Colors | ORIGINAL Short Documentary | 2023
The top three most diverse public high schools in the United States are located in Anchorage, Alaska. This cinematic short documentary takes us inside the hallways of Bartlett High School in the weeks leading up to 2023 graduation as seniors reflect on hard-won lessons learned about equality, acceptance, and what it takes to make it to the top.
TRUE COLORS follows seniors Oumie and Niko as they prepare for the most transformative moment of their young lives while balancing family, culture, academics, sports, and future plans. For them, striving for success means refusing to compromise their dreams. What emerges is a portrait of two families united by a singular community: The second most diverse public high school in the nation, a place where differences become strengths, and obstacles are overcome together.
Through this vivid cinematic short documentary film we’re confronted with a profound question: What can one of the most diverse communities in the nation teach us about accepting one another?
CREDITS:
Director: Brad Hillwig
Asst. Director of Photography: Scott Jensen
Consulting Producer: Victoria Hillwig
Story Producer: Todd Dean
Additional Photography: Joey Barranco
Featuring: Oumie Fatty-Hydara, Mama Sissay, Niko Alailefaleula, Lorina Alailefaleula
Tui Alailefaleula, Sean Prince, Tenesha Williams
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ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Brad Hillwig is an award-winning filmmaker driven by the art of innovative storytelling. During a career in Alaska media that spans more than two decades, Brad has developed and produced television shows for U.S. cable networks, created brand-defining commercial campaigns, and directed documentaries in some of Alaska’s most remote places.
In 2021, Brad launched Greatland Studios, a startup production company built around authentic, community-based documentary storytelling. Using an immersive, cinematic style, Brad’s films range from independent documentaries to brand-funded content that defies traditional marketing in favor of authentic, people-focused storytelling. At the core of his work is a simple mission: to tell purpose-driven stories that capture unique aspects of the human experience.
