A short documentary by Cameron Harris (pictured above), “Monday Film School,” will screen Sept. 26 at BTM Movieland at Boulevard Square during the 2026 Richmond International Film Festival (Photo by Jaida Brooks)
Filmmaker Cameron Harris honed his craft both in his hometown of Richmond and abroad. His career path has afforded him the opportunity to educate others, which is apparent in his new short documentary, “Monday Film School,” about aspiring filmmakers in Singapore. After debuting earlier this year, it has been selected to screen during the Richmond International Film Festival on Sept. 26.
Harris, a graduate of Richmond Community High School, Hampton University and Virginia Commonwealth University, studied film at the former New York University Tisch School of the Arts Asia campus in Singapore. He went on to teach film at Hampton and in Ukraine, while traveling the world and refining his skills. He currently resides in California and serves as the Chair of Black Studies at California State University Channel Islands.
“Monday Film School” was shot at NYU’s Singapore campus from 2012 until 2015, when the school permanently closed.
“This is a documentary about my life,” Harris says. “I remember a friend telling me, ‘If you have footage from your time in film school, people should see and hear your story.’ I wanted to show something real. It’s one thing for me to tell you about my life — it’s another thing to show you my life, my experience.”
One of Harris’ classmates and closest friends at the Singapore campus was Joseph Hsu, who is now a successful writer and director in Taiwan. Hsu’s films include “Little Big Women” and “Double Happiness,” both box-office hits in Taiwan and currently available in the U.S. on Netflix.
“When I watched ‘Monday Film School,’ it brought back a lot of memories,” Hsu says. “Cameron is the first classmate I talked to in Singapore. Most of our directing exercises, we did together. I learned so much from him.”
The short film explores identity, belonging and what it’s like to pursue an artistic career, particularly away from family and in an unfamiliar community. The subject can be heavy, but it’s not without levity.
“Cameron is a very humorous person, which we can see in ‘Monday Film School,’” Hsu explains. “There are things in it I still find funny, even though it’s been over 10 years [since the campus closed].”
Another of Harris’ artistic collaborators, Los Angeles-based director and writer Dominique DeLeon, says wit is one of the hallmarks of Harris’ vision — but that his work also carries a strong sense of purpose.
“He’s an old soul. He’s got a wry sense of humor,” DeLeon says. “He reminds me a bit of an Ernest Hemingway or a Faulkner, where he takes things that feel like everyday moments, and he relates that to a larger social theme or a feeling that everyone has had but can’t put a finger on.”
Harris will be in attendance when his 10-minute film screens at noon on Sept. 26 at BTM Movieland at Boulevard Square as part of RIFF.
“Having my film accepted in the city that raised me is one of the best feelings in the world,” Harris says. “If you have a dream, a goal, a desire — if you are not dead, it can still happen.”
What: 15th annual Richmond International Film Festival
When: Sept. 22-27
Where: Ticketed screenings and events will be held throughout the Richmond area. See richmondfilmfestival.com for the schedule.
Why: To offer a platform for filmmakers from across the globe to share their vision and showcase different perspectives
