Clifford Kiyabu Interviews Princeton Holt

TCW Reviews conducted a full interview with Princeton Holt, director of Cookies & Cream, in preparation for its world premiere on July 5th here in NYC. Here is some of it below:

TCW’s Editor in Chief Clifford Kiyabu sits down with Cookies & Cream director Princeton Holt for an exclusive interview. Princeton E. Holt has worked on several projects since graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2000 and launching his own film company called One Way or Another Productions LLC. He wrote and directed a 20 minute short called Phish in 2006 which gained him an “Official Selection" at film festivals including the National Black Media Conference Film Festival in Philadelphia, he is the writer, producer, and director of the upcoming flick Cookies & Cream, a film that I personally had the pleasure of reviewing not so long ago, but with all that I have already said about him, there is still much more to be said from the man himself.

CK: First off let me say thank you for taking the time out of your hectic schedule to have this little interview session with me, you must be very busy with the film’s premiere just around the corner?

PH: Well first of all, I dig your interviews so thank you for having me. We are getting a little busier for the Cookies premiere on the 5th of July at the Anthology Film Archives in NYC as part of the NewFilmmakers Film Festival Summer Series. For those in the in the NY area, make sure you come see it while it’s still in NY before it heads to LA. Ryan Balas, who co-produced the movie, is the one doing most of the work. He says he just wants me to be able to enjoy the screening as a director this time, and not have to do the producing part of it when it comes to preparing for the screening. That’s a huge luxury, one I don’t get enough, and I’m grateful to Ryan for handling everything.

CK: Alright, before for we go into talking about your film, I think its best my readers get a chance to learn, just who is Princeton Holt?

PH: I'm the 34 year old son of a non-denominational, Brooklynpastor/playwright/author with an honorary PHD, and an English professor/book editor/author with an academic PHD. My younger sister is a professional top model. Growing up with a family like that, ambition isn't a thought or even something we even consider an attribute. For us, constant ambition is like breathing. It’s something that also isn’t all positive at times, because when you realize you don’t know what it’s like to quit or slow down, you still aren't able to do much to change or alter it. So while the ambition "curse" of my family has been rewarding and you get a ton of things accomplished, you look around and realize that people around you may be living life a little more than you are. I'm also a professional unicyclist that fights crime on weekends.

CK: WOW, so you come from a family of hardworking career people?

PH: Yes Sir.

CK: So how does your family feel about you getting into filmmaking?

PH: They've been pretty supportive. My father and sister at times have helped me finance some projects including this one. I guess they are happy because I'm happy. My father is the "voice of purpose" you hear in the scene where Jodie comforts Carmen after their breakup, and my sister plays a cameo as the woman who sets up the whole online webcam business. She's in another film I have coming up. My mother still hasn’t seen it, and I'm curious as to whether or not she will be able to appreciate my determination to not judge any of the characters.

Read the Full interview HERE.