[INTERVIEW] Stefon Bristol, Director of ‘Breathe’ Opens Up About Working On His Biggest Film Yet

2024’s new movie Breathe is based on the ending of the world. Two scientists, Maya (Jennifer Hudson) & Zora (Quvenzhané Wallis) who are mother and daughter, find themselves trying to stay alive as they secure their home from other survivors who are trying to take their oxygen. 

In the film, you see the struggles and the sacrifices that are made in order for Maya and Zora to stay alive. You also see the strength, fight, brilliance and love that is also portrayed throughout the film as well. We speak on the end of times often on social media, there are even people today who believe that the world is already in process of ending. Many conspiracy theorists will have a field day with the Breathe movie, but they might have some solutions as well. 

This film stars some incredible actors/actresses, including Milla Jovovich who most may know from the Resident Evil trilogies, Sam Worthington from the popular movie Avatar, Common who is a musical genius but also known from the movie Just Wright and so many others.

Each character plays an incredible role in the film, that truly brings the movie together. There are even moments in the film that you might “hate” a character for doing too much. And we all know that when you get those feelings, the movie is beyond good! 

Breathe premiered on Friday, April 26th in select theaters and on digital. 

The film was written by Doug Simon and directed by Stefon Bristol who we had the pleasure of speaking with. We spoke about his experience in creating the film, his latest projects & much more. 

2024 New Movie Breathe Trailer

Breathe is set in the future on Earth where you have very limited oxygen. You have these two wonderful mother and daughter scientists, that have to ward off weirdos from Philadelphia who are trying to break into their own & try to rip apart their oxygen machine. – Stefon Bristol

Bristol studied at New York University’s Graduate Film program, under mentor Spike Lee, who helped produce his debut feature, See You Yesterday, which premiered on Netflix back in 2019.  That film, set in Brooklyn, looks at time travel in a whole new way.

Check out our full Stefon Bristol interview below:

Parlé: What was your experience like directing Breathe? 
Stefon Bristol: A dream come true and very hard at the same time. When I mean hard, I mean working with a higher budget, but still a lot of limitations. I am working with A-list actors, you think you know what you’re doing, but at the same time, you really don’t know what the hell you’re doing! But it was a dream come true because I got to work with three people that I grew up with, one of them I kind of willed my work into existence.

For example, grew up with Common’s music, I grew up with Jennifer Hudson when she was on “American Idol”, then I grew up with the Mila Jovovich movies, the Resident Evil of it all. Then with Quvenzhané Wallis, I was introduced to her when I was in graduate film school in NYU. The first I came into contact with her was when she was in the Beasts of the Southern Wild, which was HUGE and I told myself that I have to work with her. An upperclassmen was able to get her for her film Bone Sugar, but I seen her growing up, she’s getting older but she’s a natural. So in the end I was able to work with her but I worked with the grown Quvenzhané. So we bumped heads a little just due to her being a teenager so you know she didn’t like to listen, but it was truly an honor to work with such an amazing group of people. 

Parlé: How long have you been directing? 
Stefon Bristol: Professionally 7 years now but I started film school in 2011. 

Parlé: What should the audience expect when watching the film? 
Stefon Bristol: You’re going to be at the edge of your seat, so don’t go into the theater or start the program on your tv without soda, candy & everything else, cause you’re not going to be able to use the bathroom. Your ass is going to be seated, hoping that these people will survive! 

Parlé: What other projects can we expect from you? 
Stefon Bristol: I am working on another project with Spike Lee, it’s an action & adventure movie called Gordan Hemingway and the the Realm of Cthulhu. It’s a black Indian Jones film that is set in the 1930s in Ethiopia with an American gunslinger who is teaming up with the Ethiopian Princess to help rescue a regent from ancient evil. 

Breathe is available in theaters and on digital.  

Main Image Credit: Capstone

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