Farrin at WXXI: A Gathering of Shared Stories
“Young people crave connection.” This statement by producer Denyvi Rose resonated with me long after the evening ended, and they also happen to summarize exactly what the film Farrin is trying to accomplish.
On July 23,2026, WXXI hosted an event at one of its television studios and transformed it into an intimate gathering space for Caribbean Currents: A Rochester Film Experience, a fundraiser supporting Farrin, a Jamaican coming-of-age film that explores themes of migration, identity, belonging, and the difficult choices that shape who we become.
Attendees networking before the 2026 Caribbean Currents: A Rochester Film Experience event hosted at WXXI.
Walking into WXXI studios threw me off for a quick moment. Instead of entering the venue and seeing rows of theater seats, we were sitting inside what looked like a television set. It was different, but somehow fitting. Before the event officially started, people were already connecting. Friends hugged, strangers introduced themselves, and conversations bounced around the room while everyone waited for the program to begin. It didn’t feel as much like a fundraiser, instead it felt like a community showing up for one another in support of two brilliant minds while sharing stories that felt deeply personal, and speaking to experiences shared across various cultures.
Farrin follows two young women whose lives mirror one another from opposite sides. Maya, a second-generation Jamaican raised in New York, receives a grant that allows her to travel to Jamaica. Meanwhile, Sheree, who lives in Jamaica, dreams of moving to New York to reunite with her mother. Each of them trying to attain what the other is leaving behind. Rather than focusing on migration as leaving one place to go to another, the film questions what is gained, what is sacrificed, and portrays how some of our biggest decisions continue to shape us long after they’re made. The story explores self-discovery and sexuality through Sheree’s journey as she begins to understand more about herself while forming a relationship with Maya, who is an openly queer character.
Hosts and filmmakers Danielle Fuller and Denyvi Rose speak about their film Farrin at WXXI.
Writer and director Danielle Fuller is a Jamaican American filmmaker and graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned a BFA in Film and Television Production. Through the Fulbright Research Arts Grant, she developed the screenplay for Farrin while conducting research in Jamaica, basing the story on lived experiences and intimate cultural perspectives. Producer Denyvi Rose, who is a Filipino American filmmaker raised in Hong Kong and Singapore also earned a BFA from NYU Tisch. Together, this pair brings an international perspective to a story rooted in the Caribbean while exploring themes that resonate with many communities.
Throughout the evening, Danielle spoke passionately about the impact she hopes the film will have. Rather than focusing solely on Jamaican identity, she emphasized what it means to create a story that is capable of bringing people from different backgrounds together. As the night wound down we were graced with a performance by members of the Garth Fagan Dance company who presented their final installment of a three part dance series. I’m not entirely sure what every movement was meant to represent, and I don’t think I was supposed to, however, that is what made it captivating. Every time I thought I understood where the performance was going, it shifted. It was a performance that demanded attention without explanation.
Dancers from the Garth Fagan Dance company perform at WXXI for the Caribbean Currents: A Rochester Film Experience event.
The evening also highlighted the realities of independent filmmaking. Despite receiving grants and outside support, the production is still working toward its fundraising goal of $295,000. At the time of the event, the team had raised roughly one-quarter of that amount, making community support essential to bringing the project to life. WXXI President and CEO Chris Hastings also shared a few words expressing his enthusiasm for the filmmakers and their vision. He recalled that when Danielle approached WXXI about hosting the fundraiser, agreeing to the request was an easy decision. Spaces like WXXI, he said, exists to give creatives opportunities to grow, experiment, and tell meaningful stories. Listening to him speak, it was clear he believes Danielle and Denyvi are only at the beginning of what their grand future holds.
If the evening proved anything, it was that Denyvi’s words were more than a memorable quote. Young people do crave connection. Experiencing the environment at WXXI and the story Farrin hopes to tell, that may be what brings this film to life.
