About this submission

Raised in the American South, I was taught not to explore my sexuality, and was taunted for being too feminine. I was forced to go to church, where the pastor would drop the f-word and condemn homosexuality. I felt as though I was living life as a puppet, forced to move in a way that satisfied someone else, to behave in a manner dictated by a strict societal code, and to think in a way that aligned with the greater religious atmosphere of my hometown. In "Heartbeats", at the stroke of midnight, this puppet awakes.

Cameron Kostopoulos

Creator

Cameron Kostopoulos is an award-winning artist and filmmaker. They are the creator of "Body of Mine", a VR experience about gender dysphoria that won the Producers Guild Innovation Award, SXSW Special Jury Award, BAFTA Student Award and more, and "In the Current of Being", a haptic immersive documentary and the recipient of the Agog Immersive Impact Award. They are the Founder & CEO of Kost, a storytelling collective aimed at helping us better understand ourselves, the world around us, and our fellow human beings. They have a BFA in Film & TV Production from USC's School of Cinematic Arts and an MA from ASU’s Narrative & Emerging Media Program. more...