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Atlanta-based film maker, Tiara West wowed us when she was able to present her ideas to us and empower us through film. West’s new project, Behind Closed Doors covers the dark topic of familial sex trafficking and discusses the issues that most people find hard to address. We caught up with the young, passionate filmmaker on the rise to discuss her inspiration for this film and what it’s like being a filmmaker in the city of Atlanta, Georgia.

Why film? When did you know this was something you wanted to pursue?

I actually started acting before I directed at 17-years-old. I’ve always liked to be able to tell my own stories. That’s always been a passion of mine to bring my vision to life and not be judged if that makes sense (laughs). That’s always been really fun to me. To be able to see people’s reaction after I tell a story has been something I’ve always enjoyed. Filming has always been an amazing thing for me, it’s truly a relief. When I stress or I’m mad, I can just put it all on paper and bring it to life.

How is life as a film maker in the city of Atlanta, Georgia?

It’s not bad. I’m from Baltimore, Maryland so it’s very different. They support a lot here although it’s still a struggle. I moved from one city to another so it’s not the same but it has it’s moments. I found myself not being able to fund all my projects but one thing I will say is that the people here are very, very supportive. You get a lot of help here and there are many investors. This city is becoming a big city in film so you have more opportunity here than you would have other places.

Tell us about Behind Closed Doors.

Behind Closed Doors is about Familial Sex Trafficking. I actually created the film because a lot of people are not educated on Familial Sex Trafficking. I believe a lot of people only know one side of sex trafficking. It’s a topic that will have a lot of people run away from it, they don’t want to discuss, and it’s swept under the rug. It’s a topic that a lot of people should know about and educate themselves about it. It’s something that is going on in homes, a lot of people don’t know that. I named it Behind Closed Doors because many cases of Familial Sex Trafficking does happen Behind Closed Doors, especially when it comes to children. People don’t even know they’re going through, it can come from anyone, not necessarily coming from a mother or a father, just a family member in general.

Chloe Stafford, Wesley Williamson star in this project and they are truly phenomenal actors. I believe they’re going to go very far; I want to thank them for just being apart of this. They did an amazing job.

What do you hope to accomplish in the years to come?

I want to own a production studio, win an Academy Award, and travel the world showcasing my films.

For more on Tiara West, follow her on Instagram.

All images provided by Tiara West