Story

A feature documentary about a Queer African-American and an Aging Asian Female Broadway Veteran who set out to break the barriers of the world of professional ballroom competition where male is lead and female to follow.
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Synopsis

“FollowLeadLOVE” is a documentary chronicling the extraordinary journey of professional dancers Abdiel Jacobsen and Kristine Bendul. United by their passion for hustle dance, they challenge the entrenched gender roles of competitive ballroom dancing, where men lead and women follow. Their defiance sparks a larger societal shift as they become catalysts for change.

As COVID-19 sweeps the globe, it exposes and intensifies prejudice and violence within Black and Asian communities, amplifying the urgency of their mission. Abdiel and Kristine’s partnership is tested as they confront an industry's harsh realities that often mask prejudice with a veneer of diversity and inclusion. This documentary explores their intertwined personal and professional lives, delving deep into their journey of self-discovery and empowerment. As the stakes rise, their bond becomes their greatest strength—but will it be enough to overcome the challenges they face, or will the unforgiving world around them tear them apart?

This documentary explores their intertwined personal and professional lives, delving deep into their journey of self-discovery and empowerment. As the stakes rise, their bond becomes their greatest strength—but will it be enough to overcome the challenges they face, or will the unforgiving world around them tear them apart?

Main Subjects

Mission & Goals

FollowLeadLOVE resonates beyond the world of ballroom dance as it also illuminates racial and social biases in our today’s society. That said, our goals are:
  • Entertain, enlighten and educate its audience  while serving as one of the catalysts to help start a civilized conversation on  political and socio-cultural issues in our today’s society.
  • Engage not only the Dance and Arts Communities but the broader and wider audience of Asian & African-American communities, LGBTQI+ as well as the Female demographics to name a few, on a civilized dialogue about representation, acceptance, female empowerment and equality.
  • Take our Audience Engagement as well as Social Impact message through diverse platforms of distributions worldwide.
  • Create a broader platform for the marginalized & underrepresented to see stories that truly reflect their lives, so we can help empower them through the  much needed socio-cultural education and exposure using this film as one of the mediums.
  • Help elevate a more diverse, inclusive,& equal access to innovation and opportunities in the world of media programming by maximizing its reach in order to build a more sustainable cultural ecosystem  that humanity can be proud to pass on to the future generations.

Creative Crew

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Interviewees / Supporting Subjects