USA / 2017 / 73mins / Documentary / English

This inspirational documentary shadows six high-school students on an emotionally powerful, three-year journey of transformation in racially biased Charlotte, North Carolina. With access to arts and academic mentors, the film’s teenage subjects have the potential to break the cycle of poverty, homelessness, and gang-related violence. They are given an opportunity to transcend their circumstances through a triumphant musical production, an experience that ultimately propels them into a world of opportunity they never expected. Purple Dreams bears witness to the need for arts in education, especially in underserved communities.

Joanne Hock

Joanne Hock is a director, editor and cinematographer, directing a variety of content at GreyHawk Films, including feature films and television series to commercials and corporate videos. In addition to directing her many documentary passion projects, Joanne is a deft screenwriter, director of photography and all-around creative force. She has worked with Discovery ID, UPtv and the Hallmark Channel, where she has directed both episodic television and made-for-TV movies. Joanne has been honored with countless industry awards, including three mid-south Emmy Awards for her work as a Director, a Gold Medal Award for Direction and a coveted Grand Prize Award presented by the New York International Film Festival. Her script, Wednesdays at the Gem, was recognized as a semi-finalist in the Academy Awards of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ prestigious Nicholl Fellowship Screenwriting competition. Learn More