Johan Simon

Hello Ms. Cynthia! I wanted to thank you for selecting me for the Big Picture Scholarship! It really means a lot to me! Writing about Blade Runner 2049 was actually somewhat of a vulnerable process for me. When I first watched the movie, I had just been broken up with and could not take my mind off of the breakup at any given moment of the day. I binged movies hoping to forget, but nothing really seemed to intrigue me or give me any solace. I had always loved Sci-Fi, especially the aesthetic of the cyberpunk universe, so I had decided to watch Bladerunner 2049, a combination of my interests. And it was perfect. It offered me some much needed clarity during a time when I was searching for meaning in small, personal ways. At the same time, I dealt with extreme existentialism, which Bladerunner addressed perfectly. To know that someone enjoyed my personal connection to Bladerunner 2049 means a lot to me :) I highly recommend watching it if you haven't, and if you are ever open to discussing it or just chatting, please feel free to message me at johansimonedu@gmail.com Warmly, Johan Simon :)

Dena Fardin

Thank you very much, Cynthia! Being a finalist for this means so much to me and makes me feel like my story matters. I appreciate you very much! 😊❤️