Dream on Purpose to premiere student-created short film “Jelly Beans” at free community screening on Aug. 30
Press release from Dream on Purpose
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – One bag. One moment. One choice that changes everything.
Dream on Purpose, Inc. will host the free community premiere of “Jelly Beans,” a student-created short film developed through the organization’s Filming with a Purpose program, on Sunday, August 30, 2026, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Hippodrome Theatre, 25 SE 2nd Place in downtown Gainesville.
Written, shot, and directed by students, Jelly Beans takes an ordinary moment and sends it in an unexpected direction. While the organization is intentionally keeping much of the storyline under wraps until the premiere, the film explores issues affecting young people and was created to help open the door for meaningful conversations surrounding youth gun violence, choices, and their consequences.
The screening is free and open to all ages, with advance registration available through Dream on Purpose’s event page: https://dreamonpurpose.org/
“Filming with a Purpose is about giving young people more than an opportunity to learn how to make a movie. It gives them a platform to use their creativity and their voices to say something that matters,” said Shareen Baptiste, President and Co-founder of Dream on Purpose. “Our students took an incredibly difficult issue and transformed it into a story that we hope makes audiences think, talk, and perhaps see the issue from a different perspective. We are incredibly proud of what they created, and now we want our community to experience it with them.”
From Students to Filmmakers
Filming with a Purpose is Dream on Purpose’s immersive filmmaking program designed to introduce students to the art and technical aspects of filmmaking while empowering them to explore issues affecting their generation through storytelling.
Throughout the program, students moved beyond the role of audience members and became filmmakers. They participated in the creative process of developing the story, writing the script, working with camera and production equipment, designing elements of the film, acting, directing, and contributing to other aspects of bringing “Jelly Beans” from an idea to the screen.
Students also gained exposure to the broader film industry, including a field experience in Jacksonville, FL, where they visited film studio CROP Media, attended a movie screening, and engaged directly with a film director, university film professor, and members of the local film commissioner’s team. They also toured two local production studios, Sky Palm Studios and Heartwood Soundstage. Additionally, they received weekly support from a licensed mental health therapist via GroupTalks, where they expressed their feelings, processed their emotions, and learned about coping strategies.
The result is a film created not simply for young people but shaped by young people themselves.
A Film Designed to Start a Conversation
Youth gun violence served as the central issue explored through this year’s Filming with a Purpose experience. Rather than approaching the subject solely through lectures or statistics, Dream on Purpose challenged participating students to use filmmaking and storytelling as tools for reflection, expression, and prevention.
Following the premiere of “Jelly Beans,” the organization hopes the story will continue generating conversations among young people, families, and community members about the realities young people face and the role everyone can play in preventing and reducing gun violence.
The following individuals contributed to the making of the short film:
- Actors: Jahnathan Hyppolite as Andre, C.J. Lacy as C.J., Claudymir Baptiste as Jerome, and Lorraine Edwards as the mother’s voice
- Director: student filmmaker Kyana Lacy
- Writers: student filmmakers Michelle Allen, Sophia Batista, and Kyana Lacy, alongside Patrick Barry
- Cinematographer: Sophia Batista
- Editor: Michelle Allen
- Audio Recorders: Michelle Allen and Kyana Lacy
- Gaffer: Nick Solorzano
- Sound Mixer: Patrick Barry
- Original Score Created By: Tanner Griffin
- Featured Music Created By: Kai Lemstrom
- Foley Audio Effects Created By: Isaac Barry
- Behind-the-Scenes Video Created By: Joe Barry
- Producers: Patrick Barry, Claudymir Baptiste, Abigail Bassett, Lorraine Edwards, and Shareen Baptiste
This project was made possible with support from:
- The Children’s Trust of Alachua County
- City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs
- IMPACT GNV – City of Gainesville Gun Violence Prevention
- Alachua County, Florida
- KnowBe4
- PROST! Photography
- Guiding Growth Therapy, LLC
- Blue Llama Studios
Screening Details
- What: Jelly Beans Free Movie Screening
- When: Sunday, August 30, 2026
- Time: 3:00–4:00 p.m.
- Where: Hippodrome Theatre, 25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville, FL
- Admission: FREE and open to all ages
- Registration: dreamonpurpose.org/events
What happens next? Grab your ticket and find out.