CAUTION! A ROLE MODEL: JEAN MAX

A ROLE MODEL documents Jean Max Bazile’s transition from a queer migrant on Bogotá’s streets to a professional fashion model. Over 4 years, his story of survival becomes a narrative of empowerment, proving that resilience defines a true role model.

In a world of closing borders and digital fragmentation, "A ROLE MODEL" explores the life of Jean Max Bazile, a Black, queer, Haitian migrant and former street dweller in Bogotá, Colombia, as a singular island within the human archipelago. The project views the "crisis" of marginalization not as a dead end, but as a site of tension where new models of coexistence are born. And literally, Jean Max wants deeply to be a model, a fashion model, a role model, and I am going to help him. This is his journey.

For four years, I have documented Jean Max’s metamorphosis: from the invisible "islands" of the Santa Fe, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Bogotá, to the high-visibility "islands" of the fashion industry. This journey is not a simple story of overcoming; it is a dialogue between two friends, two different islands. By becoming a top model for designers and music videos, Jean Max forces the "other" (the elite, the heteronormative, the citizen) to integrate his reality into their mental horizon. Through the support of the Amor Real Foundation and our collaborative filmmaking process, we are building bridges between these fragmented worlds. Jean Max is no longer just a subject; he is a beacon of diversity, a "Role Model" who proves that even from the most isolated shores of society, a new, inclusive beauty can emerge.

Artist statement: I define myself not as a "Cameraman," but as a "Camerahuman." With a 20-year career documenting LGBTQ+ subcultures and marginalized communities in Colombia, my work is a commitment to the "minority of the minority." My relationship with Jean Max Bazile transcends the traditional photographer-subject boundary; it is a profound friendship and a shared cinematic quest.

My practice uses the camera as a tool for transgression and empathy. I believe fashion and photography have the power to amplify silent heroes, stripping away hegemonic norms to reveal the raw, beautiful reality of the streets. Through this project, I aim to validate the untold stories of those who, like Jean Max, are fighting to gain legal identity and social dignity in a complex, diverse society.