Part of the packed house at the "We Are the Ones" Work in Progress Party
Local film production company Pendragwn Productions hosted a party last week to celebrate moving in to their new digs at 736 7th Street SE and to showcase their nearly done film “We Are the Ones”. The event was packed with well wishers and friends eager to glimpse both the building and the film.
Pendragwyn, started by Hill resident Michael Skinner, works primarily on documentary style productions. I first wrote about the “We Are the Ones” adventure while he and his crew, including co-director Jon Michael Shin, were in Sudan shooting the footage that would eventually become the film. They followed two doctors working in the difficult environment of South Sudan. Both are men whose lives were dramatically affected by the civil war. Ajak was a Lost Boy who spent much of his childhood in Cuba while Francis stayed in Sudan and grew up with little schooling. Both are protege’s of Glen, an American doctor who travels to undeveloped places around the world empowering local caretakers to develop their medical skills. Today Francis and Ajak practice medicine in the world’s newest country, South Sudan.
The folks at Pendragwn are eager to finish the film and to get it out in the world. According to Skinner, “Our next steps are to finish the rough cut of the full film, then work with Burning Barn Sound + Music — which is also located at the 7the Street location; how convenient! — to complete audio post-production and musical score.”
"We Are the Ones" Director Michael Skinner
The filmmakers have already been contacted by programmers from Tribeca, Full Frame, and Human Rights Watch Film Festivals and they will begin entering the film in January. Meanwhile they will continue to screen the film to make final edits. But like pretty much everything else in this world…they need money. They want to raise $100,000 in finishing funds in the next 3 months to help cover those costs.
Once the film is done they will be seeking distribution and want to create partnerships with organizations who could use the film to inspire people to help in peace and development efforts in South Sudan.