THE ISLAND OF PETE
Documentary
This minimalistic documentary depicts the artists' creative process under pressure.
Sector
Lifestyle
Concept
Pete Raho stamps each of his 1,200 CDs with the last date he listened to them. He's built a world entirely his own—artist, woodworker, engineer, music historian—living in Gowanus with an optimism that defies the precariousness of his circumstances.
What drew me to Pete was recognizing something familiar: that beautiful, stubborn refusal to compromise your vision, even when the world isn't making it easy. This film started as a portrait of creative ambition and became a story about what happens when you choose to build your life around what matters to you, knowing full well the risks.
Insight
Every artist lives between two fears: the risk of failing on your own terms, and the greater risk of never trying at all.
Role
Director, Co-Editor, Producer
Camera Work
As a director, I borrowed from the dreaminess and grit of 1970s American cinema—long pauses, silence, letting moments breathe. The camera doesn't rush Pete; it waits for him, catches up to his energy, then settles when he does. Cinematographer Matt Fuentes and I worked with a micro-budget that gave us complete creative freedom, shooting in two locations that became characters themselves : Pete's cluttered hone and his sparse studio, both intimate, both revealing.
Process
I'm fascinated by people who create against the odds, who find meaning in the struggle itself. This isn't a film about failure—it's about the courage to try, to stay optimistic when optimism isn't rational, to build a life that reflects who you actually are.
LinkedIn
Info@duanebruton.com
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