How Yucca Valley gave “FEELINGS” back to filmmaker Florian Cioffi

Florian Cioffi, a 29 years old filmmaker from France, flew to California last June.

The trip was not planned.

*Florian setting up a shot on location in Yucca Valley. Pic by Robert Madole.*

Florian just went through tough personal challenges when he jumped on a plane to shoot a feature film in the Morongo Bassin as cinematographer.

Here, in Yucca Valley and the surroundings area, in between shooting scenes, he also took time to reset his mind and body.

*Florian (left) and his younger brother Alexis (right).*

Making new friends, enjoying the Hi-Desert, even without speaking English, Florian felt he was reborn.

A couple months later, he came up with an inspirational video: FEELINGS.

*The inspirational video features Yucca Valley places and people.*

The 3 minutes video includes images of Yucca Valley, Pioneertown, Desert Hot Springs, Joshua Tree, but also the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe…

Despite his broken English, Florian felt he had to record the voice over himself, because the journey was his. He had to own it.

The words? During a day break in the shooting schedule, Florian watched the end of Stranger Things, season 3. During the final episode, Jim Hopper writes a heartfelt letter to his “daughter”, Eleven.

The words resonated in Florian’s heart, body and mind. On that very specific moment, Yucca Valley Festival director Auregan, who was watching the show with him, told him “He is talking to you. Hooper is talking to you, Flo”.

Mixing images of the Hi-Desert with the words of Stranger Things’ Jim Hopper, Florian Cioffi created a one-of-a-kind video, taking the risk to being fully honest with himself. As an artist, and as a man.

Like a series of polaroid, Florian shares a series of moments he experienced here.

The video includes appearances of local Yucca Valley people, along with Florian’s younger brother Alexis.

The Yucca Valley Film Festival will screen FEELINGS by Florian Cioffi as a WORLD PREMIERE. The program will pair it with Stranger Things’ THE LAST LETTER OF JIM HOPPER, a fan-made video, on the evening of November, Saturday 16th.

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The video is a teaser trailer of FEELINGS, directed by Florian Cioffi. The full movie will screen at the Yucca Valley Film Festival this November.