A group of teenagers from New York City’s East Harlem joined up with screenwriter and director Greg Takoudes to create a movie that told their story, in their words. Takoudes took their raw material and wrote the screenplay, and over the Summer of 2007, they all shot a feature film together.

“Up With Me’ is that film. It tells the story of 17-year-old Francisco, his girlfriend Erika, and his best friend, Brandon. When Francisco is selected for a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, he doesn’t know what to do – he’s afraid of changing, of no longer being the kid from the East Harlem streets. With encouragement from Erika to go (even as she warns him he “better not get too smart”), Francisco accepts the scholarship.

With his best buddy gone, Brandon begins acting out, first in small ways, then in large. When Brandon finally gets into serious trouble, Francisco returns to help him out, even though doing so alienates him from Erika and puts his scholarship at risk.

“Up With Me” follows the struggles of all three kids as they cope with the risks of change, and the risks of staying the same.