Inspiration came from many quarters, but for aspiring Bermudian filmmaker Glenn Mandela Fubler it is Erroll Williams, who directed the film ‘When Voices Rise’ about the theatre boycott, whom he regards as his principal mentor.

Experience gained while at ZBM as a summer student also ranks high, as does his father Glenn’s encouragement.

“Mr. Williams was friends with my dad, and when I was about 11 or 12 I went to his house, and became very interested in cameras and how they work,” Mr. Fubler recalls. “I purchased a small camera and did a short film which I submitted to ZBM as part of my resumé, and they said I could come in as a summer student, so I learned a lot from them.”

Admitting he enjoys making short films, at age 16 and while still at student at Warwick Academy, Mr. Fubler made his first official short, ‘Rock Music in Bermuda’ — 12 minutes about why the average Bermudian doesn’t listen to rock music, which he submitted for competition in the 2001 Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF).

“That was the first big step, and I shot it with a Samsung mini DV camcorder. One of the biggest cast members was Russell Butler, who used to play in my band,” the current university student says.

While it did not garner any awards, Mr. Fubler was encouraged not to give up by Mr. Williams, who told him to “keep doing it, no matter what”.

Other encouragement came from cousin Vance Chapman, who is a television scriptwriter in Toronto.

However, for Mr. Fubler’s second film, ‘Jokers are Trumps’, which premi|0xe8|res tonight at 9.15 p.m. at the Liberty Theatre, and again on Saturday afternoon at 3.45 p.m., he was a “one-man band”. He wrote the script, produced, edited, directed and even acted in it, while Bermudian Stephan Johnstone served as director of photography.

The theme is an overview of university life, and was shot in Bermuda and Toronto with an all-Bermudian cast of about 15 university students, including himself.

“It is humorous at times, while other parts are really serious,” Mr. Fubler says. “I wouldn’t call it a comedy but there is a lot of humour in it, and a lot of social facts.”

Approximately 17 minutes long, it is entered in the BIFF short films competition, and the budding film maker has flown home especially to attend the screenings.

“I can’t wait to see it on the big screen, and I would like to thank BIFF for accepting my film, and for what they do for local filmmakers.”

He also thanks ZBM for the integral role it played in his development as a filmmaker, and says he wants to to encourage all young, creative Bermudians to tell stories.

“It doesn’t have to be through film, it can also be through music, poetry or whatever. That was the idea behind my film.”

Currently in his final month at York University, where he has been studying Communications and Sociology, Mr. Fubler ultimately wants to become a professional maker of feature-length films. Meanwhile, following his graduation he plans to return home to find employment.