University Honors

Before You Fall is a 10-minute long short film about a sister and the death of her younger brother, inspired by one of the stories from the book Mecca, written by Susan Straight. The plot follows the aftermath of Mary and her family when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her younger brother Edward at the hands of a police officer after a school basketball game. She has to face the positive and negative consequences of the community. Facing the pressure of public’s opinions and discrimination of the event, Mary has to defend her family’s reputation and overcome the pain of her loss. Will melancholy stop Mary from living her life and moving forward? This short film is a University Honors Capstone Project directed and written by Daniela Cruz featuring a UCR undergraduate student-led crew. The impact of the authorities' abuse of power and lack of accountability reflect the patterns of violence and civil rights violations that affect minorities and the lives of those who are indirectly impacted by them such as family members and friends. Directing this project gives representation to African American and Hispanic communities by highlighting the discrimination and racial prejudice that is immersed in our law enforcement system in the U.S while highlighting the love of a mother and a family.