Kaicie Boeglin
Editor-in-Chief
Rhode Island College film professor Derek Dubois has achieved International recognition with his documentary short "Boy Wizard".
Dubois and his family were of the many to be locked down in quarantine during the initial days of the COVID_19 pandemic. In attempts to keep a creative spirit alive, the longtime Cumberland resident and local filmmaker decided to turn his son's admiration of Harry Potter into a reality. Dubois's documentary short is both an interview of how this came to be, as well as a symbolic visual for the love that a family can give.
“Boy Wizard” is a short that takes span over the course of a year between their son’s 4th and 5th birthday. The video consists of eight minutes of pure captivation on different levels. The video has Dubois' wife Kathleen highlight how their son Max found his admiration for the wizarding world. Then the video becomes Max's very own world of wizardry creating an unbounded sense of joy. The Dubois family refused to let happiness and joy fade away during quarantine. Instead of trapping themselves inside walls, the family used imagination to erase any limitations and created more than just a beautiful moment for their son. Dubois manifested a film that provokes and encourages individuals to never let go of their imagination.
This documentary short was an official selection in the The Fatherhood Film Festival 2021, Aiyan Film Festival 2021, and the Indie Online Film Awards (S4) 2021. The documentary was also a finalist within the Paris International Film Awards 2021 this past November. The documentary was also announced to be an award winner for the Best Documentary Short in the Port Blair International Film Festival in Dec. 2021.
Dubois has his own website in which he posts his films and it can be found at www.derekdubois.net. "Boy Wizard'' is not his only film to win awards. In the media room of his website every award and recognition for each of his films is listed. Dubois is a local professional filmmaker and works as a RIC adjunct professor, as well as a professor for Clark University.
For those looking to watch boy wizard, they can do so here.