By Olivia Perseghin | Talon Contributing Writer
Ever since he was a child, Josh Ceranic has wanted to tell stories. This led him to enter poetry competitions, tell jokes and find any way to engage an audience.
Fast forward and Ceranic is now attending Florida State University as a film student utilizing his passion for making movies and being recognized by the prestigious international Cannes Film Festival. Ceranic is fueled by his desire to leave a legacy for himself.
Ceranic said he believes that each film he produces will affect his reputation in the film world. He wants to evoke a certain emotion from each viewer based on what he presents to them.
“All these people that are watching something you did, and they’re reacting to it in the way that you kind of intended for them to react,” Ceranic said. “It’s such a validating feeling.”
Tallahassee Community College student Cornell Wilson said he’s been able to witness Ceranic’s passion for filmmaking firsthand. Ceranic seeks any chance he can to be involved in new projects.
“One day we actually walked over to the FAMU campus and we ran into ESPN shooting the FAMU Way documentary,” Wilson said. “He actually started talking to the directors and they actually let him come on set and help.”
Polk County Public Schools, a website for public schools in Polk County, said being a finalist for the Cannes Film Festival is a monumental event for a filmmaker.
“Not every artist has such a promising trajectory, but that has been the case for Josh Ceranic,” Polk County Public Schools said.
Ceranic said he has experienced facing deadlines with nowhere to shoot but doesn’t let that stop him. He goes up to strangers asking for their help with confidence.
“I don’t have any fear of like failure or rejection,” Ceranic said. “I just don’t care what a lot of them think of me.”
Ceranic said his purpose is to make movies and wants to make his younger self proud of where he is now.
“I have to make something out of this,” Ceranic said. “I’m very sentimental and I think… do this for the eight-year-old Josh that would not believe this.”
Olivia Perseghin wrote this story about her friend Josh Ceranic. Olivia is a first-year Tallahassee Community College student from Vero Beach, Florida. She plans to study Media and Communication Studies at Florida State University.
