This past October, when I was still at MITS in Kenya, my friend and ridiculously talented filmmaker, David Hutchinson posted on Facebook, "I want to make a documentary. Anyone got ideas?"
Of course, I happily (and maybe a little facetiously) responded, "Come to Kenya! These kids have got some stories," with 0 expectation that David would actually take it seriously. Well, clearly I hadn't gotten to know David enough, because go to Kenya he did. It took a little back and forth for me to realize he was serious (How do you get to Kenya? Oh, David, don't be silly, you swim across the ocean! No, really, I've never bought an international plane ticket before...") But an Indiegogo campaign, a Pepperdine awareness event, and a lost luggage fiasco later, David was in MITS.
I am so overwhelmed with the amount of appreciation I have for everyone who made this film happen. And with the love I have for those featured in it. David Hutchinson and John Anderson put an ungodly amount of post-production time into editing and scoring, and it's humbling to be able to stand next to humans with so much talent in a shared work.
This last Friday, at Pepperdine's ReelStories Film Festival, How Far I Want to Go took home the Best Director (David), Audience Choice, and Grand Prize Awards. And guess what, I got SO MANY FLOWERS, so obviously I'm a happy girl. I think I also stocked up on words of affirmation to last me a lifetime. And I'm a co-producer now! How cool is that?!
While winnings are already benefitting MITS, we're hoping to take this film further, and expand its impact. I wrote a whole paragraph telling you what it's about, but then I deleted it because I think it's best you find that for yourself. I will say, however, that I hope you are encouraged– in hope and in the practice of personal empathy.