Documentary explores iconic slogan

One thing that stands out about Houston to Iris Karami is its “hustle culture.”

In her eyes, it’s the same hustle culture that led to the “Be Someone” artwork above Interstate 45 becoming an iconic Houston symbol after it was first created in 2012.

“In Houston, you can have an idea and put your nose to the ground and it will take off,” Karami said. “When I was a firstgeneration college student … I felt like I had a lot on my shoulders. But when I saw that sign, something in me lit up.”

Karami, a 26-year-old filmmaker and journalist from Houston, isn’t the first person to be inspired by the “Be Someone” mural, but she was one of the first to make a documentary about it in 2016, interviewing the original artist. Now Karami is preparing for the premiere of her in-depth documentary on the mural happening this Sunday and she hopes the film reflects the “Be Someone” mentality that resonates with thousands of people every day.

She produced her 2016 documentary on the mural as a freshman in college and has since completed other self-produced projects, including community stories during the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests in 2020. Karami would be the first person to say she is a natural-born storyteller.

Karami said she wanted to recreate her 2016 documentary because the story of the “Be Someone” mural has grown significantly since then, including the possibility Union Pacific may ultimately cover the mural since it keeps getting altered by other artists.

“The soul of the documentary is to protect and preserve these artists and their work in our culture and in our community,” Karami said.

Karami’s “Be Someone” documentary is entirely self-funded, she said, and was filmed with the help of Cesario “Sosa” Barron, her director of photography.

The film attempts to be as objective as possible when telling the story of the mural, she said, but it does make clear the mural technically is graffiti and it’s against the law to paint over the interstate.

“With all things considered, it’s breaking the law,” Karami said. “However, that’s not the point. The point is that it has truly created this change and is impacting people’s lives. The story is representing these underground artists, their stories, and is doing them justice.”

The film premieres Sunday at City Cellars, 1801 Binz, Suite 120. Tickets are $35 and were available as of Wednesday evening.

Jill Karnicki/ Staff file photo Iris Karami’s new documentary is about the often-altered graffiti on the Union Pacific railroad bridge over Interstate 45 near downtown. Her self-financed film debuts Sunday at City Cellars.

Iris Karami/Courtesy Filmmaker Iris Karami, right, interviews the original artist of the “Be Someone” mural. He’s covered to protect his identity.