Director’s Statement

I am a white heterosexual cis male who has been afforded privilege for the color of my skin and my sexual/gender identity.   I'm also the father of a daughter, and I don't want her to grow up in the world I did.  I want tolerance, inclusion and love to be second nature to her.  Today, hate is cloaked in identity politics and divisive culture wars engineered  to maintain existing power structures.  I wanted to do something about that, say something about that-- but I knew I couldn't do it alone.   That's when my producer introduced me to a brilliant young writer named Allie Jennings.

Allie identifies as a queer female, and on a foundational level, we  were seeking to understand one another through the father-daughter story we were crafting.  We were building an allegorical bridge of allyship  with the film, and we were supported every step of the way by two female powerhouse producers -- Jennifer Gibson and Sahar Whelan.  We all insisted on as much authenticity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera, joining with many talented artists from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  

It is often said that the making of the film becomes a reflection of the film.  Together, cast and crew were creating something beautiful and in the process-- doing something beautiful.  We were learning how to communicate, grow and listen to one another.  The film was changing us in real time, and my hope is that it can do the same for others through a very universal story.  The film was made with the very values we seek to illustrate and elevate.

This Time  hopes to spark conversation and effect understanding between even the biggest gulfs of humanity.   As much as some might wish for the world to be black and white, it is very much a billion shades of gray where hurt people hurt people. But we know from The Trevor Project  that if a 2SLGBTQIA+ teen has just one adult who sees them for who they are and celebrates them, then that  teen’s  chance of suicide  drops 40%.   The time for  tolerance, inclusion, and unconditional love is now and This Time  is a filmic testament that the whole is  greater than the sum of its parts. 

We dedicate the film to those who have lost their lives in the fight for equality and those that are still fighting.  My hope is that  even if just one person finds hope and empathy in the film, then we have all done our jobs.  With gratitude and humility, thank you for watching our film.

— Robert Vaughn