Hi, my name is Raul Seca Jr. I'm a MFA graduate film production student at the University of Texas at Austin, currently in my 2nd year of the program. I'm reaching out here because this December, I'm going into production for my upcoming pre-thesis film, titled "Diabetic Jesus."

It is an illness-drama, coming-of-age story that draws heavy inspiration from real events in my own life and childhood.

In 2004, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 11 years old. And ever since

then, I’ve been fighting the battle to not only live, but to also be able to enjoy life with this condition. For over 20 years now and ongoing, this disease has tested me time and time again, and throughout all the years, it has taken a lot out of me, often wearing me down—all while, surprisingly, shining new light to my life than I ever thought possible.

As a kid growing up, I was obsessively drawn to music, but I struggled so much to learn how to properly play. It took me some time, but in the beginning, I felt to play how I best could—one-handedly—due to my limitations, and the more I would do that, the more I found solace in playing music, reaching for it with all of my soul.

The title of this film comes from my stage name and music persona, which I created back in 2018, and have actively performed under ever since.

This story serves as the very beginning of how it all started for me with music and my relationship with it, discovering how piano was there for me during a difficult time in my early life, while also serving as the birth of my persona at its essence, synchronizing both identities into one for a personal origin story. It focuses on an inspiring young protagonist overcoming adversity through personal struggles and challenges at the face of this chronic illness, exploring themes of perseverance and how the power of art and expression got me through survival as a kid, while depicting how this disease would affect me as well as my family. It’ll also serve as a love letter to my community back home who, years ago when first starting out as a performer in my 20s, took me in gracefully, accepted and supported me, and embraced me and my ideas.

My aim with telling this story is to share how the power of art and expression has not only personally healed me, but how it can also be healing for others—going back to how it all started from childhood as I intend to proceed with my next chapter with music.

I ask that you all can please help raise support for this project by sharing this page or donating whatever you can. Any help from you would be deeply appreciated. Thank you so much for your time.