2.51 Filmmaker Interview with Aaron Johnson

The Oscar Project Podcast

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In today's episode, I interview Aaron Johnson, the director of the short film "The 17%," a documentary about Colette Divitto, a young woman with Downs Syndrome and her successful cookie business. The film received the silver medal in the documentary category at the 2024 Student Academy Awards.
Listen to hear about the some of the people that Collete employs in her business, some of the films that inspired the world of this film, and some of the biggest challenges of creating the visual world of the film.
Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Art of Living by Epictetus

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "The 17%" directed by Aaron Johnson
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower directed by Stephen Chbosky
• Good Will Hunting directed by Gus Van Sant
• Crip Camp directed by James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham
• The Peanut Butter Falcon directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
• Baby Driver directed by Edgar Wright
• The work of Denzel Washington
• Gladiator II directed by Ridley Scott

"The 17%" is waiting to hear back from multiple festivals and is eligible for the 97th Academy Awards.
You can follow Aaron on Instagram @ajhoops and the film @the17percentfilm.