TJ Noel-Sullivan always knew he’d return to Hartford.
After a moment in the sun of Los Angeles working for Mattel Films, the Yale graduate returned to his hometown to shoot his first feature, “Midas,” an epic about three friends attempting to defraud an insurance company after a relative is denied coverage.
Entirely shot in Connecticut’s capital, the movie engulfs itself in the scenery, showcasing local restaurants and notable attractions within the first few minutes.
Speaking on Connecticut Public’s Where We Live, Noel-Sullivan said he wanted to make a film that could be shown to a national audience, but also be something Hartford residents could find pride in.
“I remember I picked them [the actors] up from the airport, and we just kind of drove around for an hour through the different neighborhoods and talked about what Hartford was,” Noel-Sullivan said. “We went to Allegro Cafe down the South End and had a nice breakfast there, I really wanted to kind of expose them to the world of Hartford.”
Noel-Sullivan’s interest in filmmaking sparked in high school where he entered an apprenticeship program at Real Art Ways, a nonprofit based in Hartford that supports local artists. There, he was encouraged to pursue film studies as an undergraduate.
“I remember making my first short film in that program, which, you know, I don't think ever will see the light of day again, but the idea that I could write on a piece of paper these thoughts and ideas and then turn them into a moving image … is what really attracted me to it.”
Real Art Ways is currently screening the film, through Thursday, July 18, a full circle moment for the filmmaker.
The idea for the film began in 2018, when Noel-Sullivan wanted to create a heist film with a “twist.” But it wasn’t until two years later that he had a startling realization.
“If it's set in Hartford, they're not robbing a tech company, they're robbing a health insurance company. And from that, everything kind of fell into place,” he said.
Noel-Sullivan now runs the Hartford Film Company, a media production company that aims to create more film projects within the city. He says the company is already in position to produce another feature film as early as next year.
“I've always been somebody that wants to make a difference in the world,” Noel-Sullivan said. “And I think for me, storytelling and filmmaking is a way to do that.”
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Connecticut Public's Catherine Shen and Tess Terrible contributed to this report.
