Screenwriter Gigi Gaston never thought her directorial debut would be a doucmentary film featuring the sensitive, literate, controversial pop star Sophie B. Hawkins. When the Connecticut-born Gaston met Hawkins for the first time at a restaurant in Los Angeles last year, she was vaguely familiar with the artist and one one of her lesser-known songs. A friend had to tell Gaston about Hawkins' hit, "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover." Despite their seeming lack of commonality, the two hit it off, and on impulse, Gaston asked Hawkins if she'd let her make a documentary aabout her life and music. Hawkins enthusiastically agreed.

With just a few days to prepare for the shoot before Hawkins was set to leave for a 30-city tour of the United States, Gaston understandably got cold feet. "I was overwhelmed. I thought, I don't know what I"m doing. I was prepared with all these excuses when I met Sophie one afternoon. She got in my car and said, "I haven't lived her very long, but what I've noticed most about L.A. is that everyone says let's do lunch and I'll call you tomorrow. It's so amazing that I meet you, you say you're going to do a documentary and two days later, we're gonna start shooting. I've got to comment you. You're not at all like people in L.A." Gaston gulped, nodded her head and her fate was sealed. She and a small film crew accompanied Hawkins on the road and shot a rocumentary unlike any other.

An Olympic champion jump rider, Gaston spent her formative years riding horses and informally studying film. The novice director always knew she wanted to be a screenwriter. She typed her first script, Like A Lady, from her horse's tack room, despite taunts from her fellow equestrians to give it up. Miramax bought the autobiographical story about a tomboy athlete who asks a drag queen to teach her how to "act like a lady" and now Gaston has several more writing assignments to her credit, including a project with Imagine Entertainment about Prince Carol II of Romania.

Much like the competitors who scoffed at her screenwriting, Gaston's then agent and manager urged her not to attempt directing. It's a good thing she didn't listen. What differentiates The Cream Will Rise from the usual MTV pabulum is Gaston's seamless ability to seize the raw, honest moment.