We had the good fortune of connecting with Pater Memphis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pater, why did you pursue a creative career?
I got into the filmmaking career by mistake, and I don’t even know how or what got me to change my career goals. When I was younger, I wanted to be a soccer player, and I also wanted to be a pro fighter. I have a black belt in Karate. My career goal changed when I met a friend in high school; his name is Micah Senga. He’s currently a filmmaker too. It was him who gave me the idea of pursuing filmmaking as a career, and I started loving it. When I graduated from high school, I came to the USA to get into film school. Right now, I don’t even know why I’m pursuing it. It’s not a career with a safety net where you can get work every day like a regular job. In order to make it, the truth is that you must be already rich, perhaps you have relatives in the industry, or you have connections in the industry. Without that option, the only option left is to create my own industry. So why I’m pursuing it, only time will tell.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I came to the USA to learn filmmaking, I was trying hard to fit in, to make my work very American. But as I was maturing as an artist, I discovered that actually my African/Congolese heritage is what makes me different from others. I know I can tell stories or create artwork that are original, and they’ve never been told before. So, keeping my identity and experience of life from another place in the world and putting it into my works makes me unique and different and sets me apart from others, and I must keep it. I’m an upcoming pioneer of a new form of cinema, and that’s great. Where I’m at professionally now, and each step I’ve been making, I couldn’t have made them without the help of friends, especially a good friend of mine, Micah Senga, who gave me a job in his first film, and I’m grateful for that. I think I also got to this point because of good relationships and being surrounded by good people, people who share the same vision that I have. It wasn’t easy; it was very difficult. My biggest problem was my French accent. To other people, it’s a bad thing, but I transformed it into an asset because it is what I am. The lessons I’ve learned along the way are don’t wait, create your own industry, don’t wait for someone to show you the green light. You must take your career into your own hands; never give it to another person.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend is visiting or a friend from DR Congo, I’ll take them to the TCL Chinese Theatre to see a movie, then we’ll make a Hollywood tour. My favorite place to eat is Popeyes, and I’ll definitely take my friends to Popeyes. Then we’ll take a trip to New York to see the Statue of Liberty, but my priority will be to visit a small village in New York called Sleepy Hollow. The Village of Sleepy Hollow is famous because of the 1820 Washington Irving book “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. I’m fascinated by that too, and visiting the village of Sleepy Hollow, especially during Halloween, will be a very fun thing to do, and I’ll take my friend there. Then we’ll go to Virginia to ride the Pantheon, my favorite roller-coaster, and in Washington DC to visit all the museums.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
For me, Greek Mythology have been a great source of inspiration. It’s thanks to that that I’m inspired to create. I see it as an endless source of inspiration, especially the two poems and books by Homer: the Iliad and the Odyssey. My filmmaking teachers Mr. Josef Lustig and Mr. Ivan Alzuro did a good job teaching me, and I’m very grateful. I also get a lot of support from my mother, who was the producer of my first short film. In the industry, Quentin Tarantino is like a model and a mentor to me, and all my respect to the late Sergio Leone, who also has a great impact and influence on me. Christopher Nolan is making an adaptation of the Odyssey, and I can’t wait to see it.

Instagram: Patermemphis

Facebook: Pater Kulengula

Youtube: Ninety-Eight. Eight

Other: My Email: paterkulengula182@gmail.com

Image Credits
Tonfa music

Prapawin Chantarasena

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.