MFA Acting for Film Alum Tarik Holmes on creating a Jamaican Christmas Short Film "Time Heals"

NYFA MFA Acting for Film Alum Tarik Holmes (Tarik Alexander) is a Jamaican actor, writer, singer and producer. Tarik recently wrote, produced and starred in the short film "Time Heals", a Jamaican Christmas movie. Check out the film here, and read about the inspiration behind it below. 

T. H: My name is Tarik Holmes (professionally Tarik Alexander), an actor/singer, writer and producer. I'm from Kingston, Jamaica and I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be in the entertainment industry. I grew up watching movies and listening to music, and all I ever wanted was to make my dreams a reality in America, but I didn't think how or even if it was possible. 

I earned my bachelors degree at Northern Caribbean University in Mass Communications, and during my tenure there, I won three awards at the Lignum Vitae Film Festival for two films I directed, wrote, and produced. After graduation, I worked at a television studio in Jamaica, feeling stuck because I wanted more for myself. Through a conversation with a close friend, he suggested the idea of going to film school in America, particularly the New York Film Academy. I turned it down because I didn't think I had a chance at being accepted, but he called NYFA for me, and gave them my information, and the next day at work I received a call from NYFA telling me they heard I was interested in their program. That phone conversation changed my life forever, and a few months later, I moved to Los Angeles to study the MFA degree in Acting for Film in the fall of 2017.

NYFA Alumni Network: Tell us more about your latest project project. What inspired you to write the short?

T.H: My latest project is called "Time Heals" (A Jamaican Christmas Story), a short film I wrote, executive produced, and played the leading role in. It's the story of a young man named Daniel who's working in a department store to regain stability after a public failure. Ashamed of himself and estranged from his mother, he plans to spend Christmas alone for the first time. Through a surprising encounter on Christmas Eve with a customer who begs him for help at the last minute, he's forced to confront his past and decide how he will heal. This story was created out of my insecurities and the pressures of breaking into the industry through multiple unsuccessful attempts. The COVID pandemic in 2020 halted my plans after graduating from NYFA, and I had to return home and figure out a way to still make my dreams happen. I connected with filmmakers in Jamaica and began pitching projects to companies for 3 years for sponsorship. Some said yes, but most said "no", which took a toll on my confidence and I felt like it was time to give up. A week before Christmas Day of last year, I decided to stop waiting on others and created this story, pitched the film to my network of filmmaker friends, who all liked it and agreed to help, and we shot and released "Time Heals" on YouTube in time for Christmas Day 2023.

Behind the scenes of Time Heals (Photography by: Shanalee Shields)

NYFA Alumni Network: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others?

T.H: NYFA gave me the techniques I needed to effectively play the leading role of Daniel. The Acting program is very practical with a variety of courses that taught me to unlock abilities I never knew I had to be a professional actor. Also, the program helped me to become multifaceted by strengthening my writing and producing skills. These skills have served me well in taking charge and ownership of my work, and the most fascinating thing is that there's much more to learn to become better. Additionally, NYFA taught me the importance of collaboration. Every single role on a set is important and everyone should be respected. It takes a strong team to make a quality project you're proud of.

Behind the scenes of Time Heals (Photography by: Shanalee Shields)

Behind the scenes of Time Heals (Photography by: Shanalee Shields)