Breech Asher Harani, a Mass Communication graduate from Holy Cross of Davao

College, stared lethargically at the horizon. Working as a content writer and search
engine optimization specialist in an outsourcing firm in Davao City, he yearned for
something more - the dullness and stagnancy of his job, coupled with a meager
salary, prompted him to get moving. Having fallen in love with filmmaking while he
was in college, he knew that it was the one for him. He said that “it was the one thing
that I have to do in my life”. Breech then took the risk of pursuing his true love –
filmmaking. “I took the risk because I had to,” he said. A certain quote gave him
motivation – the moment you are afraid to jump, that’s when you jump. “So I
jumped!” he said with a laugh.

However, he confessed that he never saw himself as a filmmaker when he was still
studying. “I was planning to do it as a hobby and work normal jobs related to
communication but never in my whole college days have I thought of being serious in
filmmaking post-academics,” he said. But the road to success, and following his
passion, proved to be a herculean task for him.

He started his new career on YouTube – uploading funny videos (The Psychology
of Selfie, The 10 Types of Students, The 8 Types of Praying, and Cinnamon
Challenge) to generate money to create a film. His earnings, along with donations
from some friends provided the necessary funds for the film but it didn’t win anything.

Breech has had his fair share of rejections and failures in life. He got rejected more
times than he could count but he views rejections as lessons for growth. He learned
how to embrace rejections, enabling him to turn rejections into positive learning
experiences. Perhaps, he said, the most memorable failure for him was when he
proposed a project to a person who is connected to the local film scene in Davao
City. This person told Breech straight in the face that ‘You can’t possibly do that, you
don’t have money, and you can’t create a film without money’. Breech took this
statement as motivation and he worked hard to prove this person wrong. Breech
doesn’t harbor ill feelings, though. “It’s funny when I think about it now,” he said.

In spite of the failures, Breech never gave up on his passion. He asked for financial
help from family and friends and ended up with an 800-peso budget. Along with
other available resources, he started working on a new film - Through the Mirror.
Through the Mirror won in Serbia and USA. He then used the 500 USD from his
award to create another movie, Blue. Breech received the Chinh India Award,
International Jury Award for the Plural+ Youth Video Festival and United Nations
Television (UNTV) Award for Blue. Blue was also one of the films presented at the
Cameroon International Film Festival in Buea, Central Africa, the Hamptons
International Film Festival in New York, and was officially chosen for international
screening at the International Youth Festival Langesund in Norway. It was also
officially selected by IndieWise Virtual Film Festival in Miami, Florida, and the Hsin-Yi
Children's Animation Awards. Blue also paved the way for a Hollywood stint –
Breech directed Hailee Steinfeld's animated music video for her single "Rock
Bottom".

His short documentary film, Journey to Acceptance, was also officially selected for
screening at the Festiva De Cortometrajes 'Jose Fransisco Rosado' Pacas in Pedro
Munoz, Spain. Other screenings in Washington, D.C., Serbia, and New York
followed. Breech said that every time his films get screened abroad, it is a totally new
learning experience and he collects all that he learns in order to continue getting
exposures internationally.

Breech revealed that his most treasured award is his International Jury Award for the
Plural+ Youth Video Festival which was held at the Paley Center for Media in New
York City. The award given to him in 2015 wasn’t his first award but it “kick-started
everything that follows it,” according to Breech. Aside from receiving the award, he
also was a part of the international young leaders’ talks regarding the global issue on
diversity, social inclusion and migration.

In 2017, his list of acquired awards grew longer: International Citizen Media Award in
Munster, UN ESCAP Photo Award in Bangkok, 100 Best Science Photographers of
2017 in Manchester, Ambassador of the Word in Barcelona, If I Were Video Award in
Paris, Ngilngig Films Special Mention Award in Davao, International Short Film
Funding in Florida, STEM Research Documentation in Stuttgart, Cinematography
Fellowship in Prague, Peacemaker Corps Award in New York, UN Together Award
in Geneva, IOM Research Award in Seoul, ASEAN Short Film in Manila, and many
more.

After all the awards and recognitions, the 26-year old Freelance Global Multimedia
Specialist, Independent Filmmaker, and Photographer remains humble; every time
he receives an award, he says that he “becomes lower and lower on the ground”. “I
mean, I was just taking goldfish videos way back 2007, and yet here we are!” Breech
jokingly said. He says that he is super happy with what he’s doing and he doesn’t
have regrets about taking the risk because he is enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Aside from being a filmmaker extraordinaire, Breech leads quite a normal life. He is a
huge advocate of Social Inclusion, defined by the United Nations as the process of
improving the terms of participation in society, particularly for people who are
disadvantaged, through enhancing opportunities, access to resources, voice and
respect for rights. He is also an advocate of Diversity, defined by Dania Santana in a
social context as a successful community in which individuals of different race,
ethnicity, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, language, geographical origin,
gender and/or sexual orientation bring their different knowledge, background,
experience and interest for the benefit of their diverse community. His advocacies
lead to invitations from humanitarian organizations (both local and international) to
talk about it and educate young people about these issues.
During his non-filmmaking days, he spends time with his family and close friends. At
times, he also prefers being alone – watching movies and sleeping all day are some
of his favorite activities.

Breech confided that he has an unusual quirk – he likes talking to inanimate objects
as if they are alive, even scolding them sometimes, he says with a laugh.

He says that painting was his first love when he was young, and he continues to
paint until now, He gives his paintings as gifts to his friends, and also does
installation art; some are displayed in their school in Compostela Valley.

When it comes to love, Breech said that he has been attracted before, but he has
never fallen in love. “To be honest, I have no plans of getting married,” he said.

Breech plans to continue pursuing his passion for a long time – for a lifetime,
perhaps. He said that following your passion is definitely risky. He defined passion
as something that you love to do every day without regrets - if you truly are
passionate about something, you will never be afraid to do it. Take the leap of faith
and follow your heart. Worries are inevitable, but never allow it to stop you from
doing what you love. Failures will come but never allow it to weaken your resolve in
pursuing your passion.
References

http://embracingdiversity.us/what-is-diversity-define-social-diversity/

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/rwss/2016/chapter1.pdf