At First Glance, and a Progress Update

Some more good news! Going the Distance was awarded the prize for Best Short Documentary last weekend at the First Glance Film Festival in Philadelphia! 

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Things have been exceptionally busy for me lately. Last week I attended my first Boston Film Fatales meeting, where we were each asked to share something good relating our work/art. My share was how proud I am that in addition to working full-time and being a new mom, I am plugging away at two short film projects and making slow (but steady) progress with both. It wasn't until I said that out loud that I realized how much I really do have on my plate at the moment! Sometimes it feels like too much. But I know how important each of those parts are to me, and that the key is trying to strike a balance. I often think of Suprabha, from my film The Spirit of a Runner, and how she said that she never set out to run 3,100 miles, but rather approached her journey one mile - even one step, sometimes - at a time. So I'm trying to channel her at the moment. Also Bill Murray (baby steps...) ;-)

Anyway, I've been working on one of the projects - which unfortunately I can't divulge much about for now - for over five years. I would place it in a "rough cut" state still, but I am getting much, much closer to figuring out how to finish it, and I anticipate that will happen sometime this spring. I am very excited about this film, but since I really don't want to say anything more just yet, I'll shut up about it for now.

The other project I've been chipping away at is a short film about my Uncle Bob's WWII story, which is summarized nicely in this article from the New York Daily News. Also, here's a mini-tribute I wrote about Bob last Veteran's Day:

"I want to take a moment to give a shout out to my favorite vet, my Uncle Bob, who – at the age of 19 – became a WWII POW, losing his leg in the process. I don’t know a single person with a more optimistic, hopeful, and grateful outlook than this man, who understands full-well the preciousness of life. Bob has spent a lot of his time working with wounded vets at Walter Reed hospital, and now at age 90, he continues to attend weekly meetings with fellow WWII POWs. Bob is a staunch liberal and has spoken up about the horrors of war. Something I’ve learned from my uncle is that supporting our troops and being anti-war are not incompatible views, nor are they partisan issues. I’m tired of the rhetoric that paints a different picture. As grateful as I am to Bob for his service, I’m equally grateful for how he has spoken up on these issues and reminded those around him how truly terrible war is."

My DP, Ben Pender-Cudlip, turns the camera on Uncle Bob

I've spent a handful of weekends this fall in Teaneck, NJ, where my Uncle and Aunt live, to try to document his incredible story. After my last visit, I returned home with a duffle bag full of Bob's old VHS and Hi-8 home movies. I'm excited to start going through them to see what they include!

With the main man himself