Emily Kuester is a director, producer, and writer. She got her start at 371 Productions and has assisted in producing short and long form documentaries, virtual reality experiences (2019 Sundance VR experience “Ashe 68”), podcasts, and mobile apps. She is the co-creator of the fiction series “Black Girl Training,” which won the first annual Keep It Colorful campaign with Seed and Spark and is now being executive produced by Mary Ann Marino.

“Messwood” starts screening at the 2021 DOC NYC Film Festival on November 14. The fest runs from November 10-28. The film is co-directed by Brad Lichtenstein.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

EK: “Messwood” tells the story of a unique Milwaukee football team — it’s made up of players from two very different schools. The players all must navigate life so differently, but on the football field they’ve found a way to break down barriers and forget about the things off the field that divide them. Their 2019 season came with a lot of ups and downs, but they learned to trust each other and become this beautiful family.

The film is set in Milwaukee, a city known for its segregation. I believe the film is a snapshot of the America we are in today, and the boys show it’s not impossible to break down those boundaries and even challenge themselves and the ideas they carry.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

EK: Originally we were drawn to Shorewood when the high school had to cancel its production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” due to the n-word being said onstage. We knew there were stories and perspectives to be told, and as we started to do pre-interviews and explore potential storylines, we were introduced to the Messwood football team.

Things really started to come together when we started meeting the players and coaches of the Messwood team. The boys all have such big hearts and see the world in a pure way. They are all seriously so wise for their age. They were always honest and showed compassion in a way I don’t find in adults. Plus, I related to the balancing and bouncing between worlds that comes with living in Milwaukee and trying to figure out who you are.

W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?

EK: “Messwood” really is a representation of our country and how blatant differences are between communities. Milwaukee is very segregated, leaving our young people having to navigate through a world that makes no sense and isn’t setting them all up for success.

I hope people pay attention to the subtleties of how each of our players learns and grows from being a part of the Messwood family. And I hope people can learn from these young men and the film and motivate conversation about where race should and shouldn’t be talked about.

Oh— and I hope people laugh! These boys are hilarious.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

EK: For me as a filmmaker early in my career, it was certainly a whirlwind filming a feature film in the span of a two-and-a -half month football season. Not to mention, shortly after their season ended was the onset of COVID. Our entire edit process took place during the pandemic so my first true experience in an edit room wasn’t really in the edit room. Things were changing and moving fast— both in the film and the world— and I really had to learn to be adaptable and trust my own instincts.

I’m a young, Black woman who also was navigating a segregated city in a racially charged time. There were plenty of different rooms in which I had to command my space: where I was the youngest, I was the only Black face, the only woman. I didn’t have experience to back me up, so there were times I really had to be persistent to be heard and taken seriously.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

EK: We had a couple rounds of development money from foundations, enough to allow us to do pre-interviews and get permissions from the schools, coaches and players to follow them for the year. Then the production company Participant signed on and the rest was history!

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

EK: At my core I am a storyteller. Growing up, if I wasn’t writing a story, I had a camera in my hand. I spent all my time filming my family and friends, pretending to do interviews and to be interviewed. As I got older I started to really see the power of telling stories and how loudly I can speak when I push forward the stories that I hadn’t seen told before.

There was something about having the blessing to share stories that connect people, that challenge people’s ideas, that showcase love and compassion. I’m fascinated by the power of film and storytelling and blessed I’ve had the opportunities to create beautiful things.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

EK: Best: People connect to people. This industry is tough, but at the end of the day people want to work with good people. Be a good person. Be honest. Lead with compassion. Surround yourself with good people who show you the same respect you give and share your passion.

Worst: Gosh that’s hard. I feel like I just let bad advice go in one ear and out the other. I do remember being younger and being passive aggressively told that being a filmmaker wasn’t a viable career path, but I never listened whenever anyone tried to even slightly imply that.

W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors?

EK: Believe in yourself, always. There are plenty of things and people in the world that will try not to, and it’s so critical that you don’t believe them. Tell stories that you are passionate about. Surround yourself with people you can trust in every stage of the process. Remember that you actually are allowed to not be perfect all the time and you can still be a wonderful, wonderful filmmaker.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

EK: I’ve always been inspired by Ava DuVernay, especially how she directs docs and scripted media so powerfully. She’s someone who makes great things that make you really feel and really think. True inspiration.

W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how? 

EK: You know, every day is a new day I’m grateful for. I am keeping creative— I always am writing, both creatively and for myself emotionally. And I’ve really used this time to develop new stories and pay attention to what stories I feel people need to hear after we went through the depth of a pandemic.

W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color on screen and behind the scenes and reinforcing— and creating— negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make the doc world more inclusive?

EK: Women and non-binary folk, people of color, those who are constantly being marginalized need to be invested in. More space needs to be made— and that space needs to be permanent. The communities whose stories need to be told need a creative team that represents them. There has to be trust there and people need to always be talking about who has ownership over a story.