#paloma garcia lee

Riff and Grazi

Paloma Garcia-Lee and Mike Faist

Paloma Garcia-Lee -

I didn’t know Mike before working on this film. It is amazing when the universe brings people into your life you needed to meet. Before rehearsals started we met up at what turned out to be both of our favorite bars, unintentionally ordered the same drink and started to figure out who these characters were. That night we both pulled out Bruce Davidson photos without knowing the others connection to them. In one of the many we exchanged the girl I was pulling inspiration for Graz off of was laying on the chest of the boy he had seen who he felt a connection to with Riff. (See second photo) Aligned is the only word I can think of.

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I have more admiration and more respect for this human than I can express. You see so many people celebrating his singularity, and there is a reason for that. We spent our days that summer as Riff&Graz and goddammit - We had the best time on this project. One of the many days we spent filming Dance At The Gym is hands down the best 24 hours of my life thus far and I will cherish it forever.