Spotlight on Raye Rivera (M.F.A. '26): Graduate and Storyteller

Discover the journey of Atlanta filmmaker Raye Rivera (M.F.A. '26), whose passion shapes every frame.

Who is Raye Rivera?

In one sentence, I am a girl with a hunger for storytelling but let me elaborate. I am a queer community-based filmmaker in Atlanta. My films focus on crafting socially thematic, character-driven works while utilizing a variety of film modes across the narrative, documentary and experimental realms. I have also been slowly switching over to celluloid filmmaking. There’s something about working with 16mm/35mm film that has completely changed my relationship with film. In addition to my filmmaking, I currently serve as an adjunct professor in Media and Film Studies at Mercer University, where I teach Digital Storytelling, Intermediate Digital Media and Sound Design. So, my life is quite literally centered on film, one way or another.

How did you decide on our M.F.A. program?

Atlanta is home! Atlanta has been a fantastic place to network and meet other filmmakers, thanks to its strong film scene. I also wanted to attend a university close to my chosen family and community. I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to use my filmmaking to work with folks to highlight their stories and uplift their talents. Many of my community-based films have focused on queer communities, specifically the social and political impact of Drag. So, I felt that being close to my Atlanta queer community would provide the most authentic story. I came into graduate school intending to expand my knowledge, so I chose a program that would help me do that. I have gained new knowledge in Fiction film production, experimental film, 16mm production and screenwriting.

Did your creative voice/ pathway change since you started the program?

Yes! My undergraduate years were during the pandemic, so I was not able to explore and figure out what kind of filmmaker I wanted to be. So, being in this MFA program, I was able to develop my film voice to what it is now. This involves community, character-based, and always with a queer perspective in mind. I also came into the program set on continuing to work in the camera department, which is where I got my start in film. Although after my first year in the MFA, I took a variety of courses and found my love for screenwriting, directing and celluloid cinematography. I was able to explore and find things that worked for me as a filmmaker. Teaching was also an avenue I had fallen in love with before the MFA and being able to teach while in the program solidified my goal of becoming a tenure-track professor. I want to be a figure to help students expand their knowledge of film and discover their creative voice.

Tell us about your thesis film, Bloom.

Bloom was a film I worked on during my first year of the program. It was just a passion project at first. As I kept working on it, I realized that Bloom encapsulated my newfound creative lens from the program. It's a mixed-media (Digital and 16mm) drama that follows Atlas as he navigates grief, family and self. Bloom’s core theme is grief. Grief is a complex emotion, especially when it is centered around a family that doesn’t support who you are at your core. Another underlying theme is found family/community. When you don’t have unconditional support and love from your blood family, those in the community who provide it become your new family. The film was produced in Atlanta, Georgia, and I got to work with some fabulous local organizations and queer businesses supporting the project, such as LORE, Southern Fried Queer Pride, and The Little Feminist Farm. It truly was a labor of love, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the team that I had for this film.

What are your post-graduation plans?

Filmmaking will always be part of my future. I want to finish my first feature film. I am fully embracing a genre new for me, and I am excited to see how it unfolds. My cohort member and cinematographer, Carla Serrano Crespo, and I plan on shooting a short film on 16 mm this summer. I hope to participate in fellowships and film labs for directing and screenwriting. Some that are capturing my attention include the Transgender Film Center, the Film Independent Artist Development Lab and the Sundance Trans Possibilities Intensive program. I also aspire to be a tenure-track professor. I want to be a figure who assists the upcoming filmmakers in discovering ways to use film to communicate their ideas. As I mentioned previously, I am absolutely passionate about film! And I am excited to see the beach soon. I have been really missing that refreshing ocean breeze!

Learn about our M.F.A in Digital Filmmaking Program HERE.