Chauncey Fellow Makes Film in New Haven

Three young men stand between bookshelves in a library, smiling at the camera. A professional video camera on a tripod is set up in front of them, suggesting they are filming or working on a media project. — Julien Sanchez-Levallois (right) created a film set in New Haven alongside his brother, Pablo (center), while a Chauncey Fellow in 2025. Katie Pellico

Two students at Southern Connecticut State University made plans to interview a local birdwatcher for the school newspaper’s final issue. But shortly before they were to meet, the birdwatcher was murdered. The students started sleuthing, and what they found led them to produce a shocking exposé.

Such is the plot of A Birdwatcher Dies, a fictional murder mystery comedy written and directed by Julien and Pablo Sanchez-Levallois, and currently in post-production. Sanchez-Levallois created the film as a Chauncey Fellow.

“If not for the fellowship, I wouldn't have seen filmmaking as a tangible possibility for a career,” says Sanchez-Levallois. “I fully intend on making more films after this, and using those skills that I've developed from this.”

Created at The Community Foundation by the late Edward “Edder” Bennet, The Chauncey Fellowship provides promising New Haven area college graduates with funding to work on self-directed projects in public service or the arts. The fellowship honors Henry “Sam” Chauncey, the former secretary of Yale who mentored generations of undergraduates.

Seven people stand closely together, smiling, in front of bookshelves in a library. Four are standing in the back and three are in front. They appear relaxed and friendly, dressed in casual clothing. — Julien Sanchez-Levallois (right) chose his cast and crew from his wide network of local creatives while a Chauncey Fellow in 2025. Katie Pellico

Sanchez-Levallois says he and his brother felt like they were surrounded by talented artists while students at SCSU and Central Connecticut State University, respectively, and they wanted to draw on that community. He points to the friendships between the Velvet Underground and David Bowie, or between George Lucas, Frances Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg, as inspirations.

“In addition to wanting to make something with my brother – which, ever since we were kids, we really loved film – I also wanted to make something with this giant group of people,” he says. “I thought it'd be cool to create that network, rather than to try to break into an already existing network.”

This network also includes local musicians, who Sanchez-Levallois is working with to score the film.

“It's been as enriching to work with people that I hadn't met before as it has been to work with my friends,” says Sanchez-Levallois, looking back on the production process. “It validated the whole reason that I wanted to do the project: showing that there are really great artists out there."

A woman with curly hair, wearing a red sweater and white collared shirt, sits outdoors looking at a man in glasses with a concerned expression. Autumn trees are visible in the background. — Siommara Hill says that one of the best parts of being cast as a lead in "A Birdwatcher Dies" was getting to make something with young, up-and-coming creatives.

Siommara Hill, an actor and creative who went to Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School with Julien, was cast as a lead in the film.

“It's very hard right now, especially for young creatives,” says Hill. “If we're going to make something and have the opportunity to do what we're studying, then why not do it with people who are our age? It's very hard for artists to have a pathway – there's no internship really. For the performance side, I fear as you get older, there’s not a lot of opportunities.”

Sanchez-Levallois says he and Pablo took care to ensure that the City of New Haven was more than a backdrop, incorporating landmarks, local businesses and even a scripted debate over the city’s best pizza place.

A Birdwatcher Dies is due to premiere this year, and the Sanchez-Levallois brothers hope to show the film in public screenings, local festivals and on campus at SCSU.