Josh Samson: The Identity Project

What is your identity? Or what is “identity” for that matter?

The Identity Project posed these questions to several community groups, and together they developed art and video projects surrounding the idea of assigned identity versus personal identity, or the question “How do others see you?” versus “How do you see yourself?”

Identity is a complicated concept, and the participants took several paths in exploring identity: some as personal interviews, some as unique expressions of self, and a handful of young filmmakers crafted their takes on identity.

The project is not meant to define identity, but instead, it is an opportunity to inspire conversations and reflection about the identities we all hold: those assigned to us, those we are expected to follow, and those that are truest to ourselves.

The question remains: What is your identity?

Collaborating Organizations

Refugee and Immigrant Center at the Asian Association of Utah
Olympus High School Afterschool Program
Leaders and Counselors in Training Program
ArtsBridge
REFUGES
UMOCA

Additional Contributing Filmmakers

Brighton Ziegler
Katie Beacom
Lauren Vernon
Keiki Taylor
Casey Josephson
Mikkel Richardson

Joshua Samson earned his B.S. in Mass Media Studies from Missouri State University in 2004 and his M.F.A. in Film Studies from the University of Utah in 2008. He is a working filmmaker in the areas of documentary, fiction, and marketing and has been teaching film since 2005 at various colleges and organizations in the Salt Lake area.

Originally from St. Louis, MO, Joshua Samson has been making films since he was 12 years old and was drawn to filmmaking because of its propensity to combine so many other art forms. In his own personal work, Samson takes turns as a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, actor, editor, costume designer, set builder, and composer. He continues to freelance, especially in the realms of documentary and marketing pieces for non-profit organizations.