Okay, so, you've heard about Jace (once or twice)…well, sorry kids…I want to make sure you hear about him a LOT more. More importantly than hearing about HIM though, is hearing about the stories he is telling. He is doing some amazing things for people who need a voice. Here is an update on his project "When the Rain Starts Falling" in his own words…
I may be the director for this film, but I was
definitely directed by the guiding hand of providence in Haiti over the
last two weeks. It was a production of "small miracles". Everything
happened, and seemed to have happened for a reason. We met up with Erin
Murphy who introduced us to Joel Trimble who introduced us to Pastor St.
Cyr who introduced us to Sean Penn at his tent city in Delmas. Spike Lee was also there
shooting a documentary as well!
Things, however, began to fall into place long before we even left
for Haiti. After making my first film, "When The Ground Stopped
Shaking", I was inspired to again go to Haiti and make an even more
intimate film from the perspective of a Haitian refugee in a tent city. I
was only going to go if I could find somebody to do sound for the film.
While playing basketball one afternoon, I talked with Sean Clark who
was quitting his job and wanted to travel. He had gone to film school to
study audio for visual media, and he was 100 percent on board with
going to Haiti from the get-go. Just a couple weeks later, we found
ourselves in Haiti at Sean Penn's refugee camp staying at Pastor St.
Cyr's house. Pastor St. Cyr is Penn's right hand man in the camp,
and is basically considered "the mayor" of the 50,000 strong tent city.
He is probably one of the most influential people in Haiti right now,
attending regular meetings with President Preval and keeping company
with the movers and shakers in Haiti. He has repeatedly turned down any
compensation for his efforts in serving his people. He told the corrupt
government that he wants no part in leadership, saying that he is there
only to serve his country. He lives in an earthquake shattered house
that has cracks running up and down the support beams and walls. He has
had people try to slander his character and even plot to kill him. Yet,
he stands strong. We were blessed to be able to stay with him at his
house for over ten days. We learned a lot about courage, strength,
leadership and servanthood.
Expressing my gratitude for his hospitality, and remarking on the
fortuitous events that led us to meet and stay with him, Pastor's
response was, "It was planned". We had only met him that day, and he
knew that we were supposed to be there. We were supposed to make this
film. And nothing wouldn't have happened the way it did, if it wasn't
for us surrendering our comfort and will to be led to where we needed to
go.
We didn't end up shooting at the orphanage, because the path led us
to a 12-year old boy named Jackson in Penn's tent city. Sean noticed him
first, and we both were drawn to him by his light-colored brown eyes.
He told us in broken English that his father was dead. His mother left
him to live in New York. We learned that he was living in the tent city
with his cousins, and was dramatically affected by the earthquake. We
knew we had found our character for the film, and from there
serendipitous events confirmed our selection. I can't even begin to list
every little thing that happened to make this the smoothest productions
ever in the history of documentary filmmaking, but things happened.
Sean and I were able to capture intimate moments in Jackson's everyday
life, and we were able to record the tent city as seen through Jackson's
eyes. He opened up to us, and let us into his world. We interviewed
him, and he detailed for us the sorrow and hope in his life. Sean and I
were moved, and we can't wait to finish this film to share it with you
and the world.
This film is important. People need to see it. It is a short story
told by a small boy about the biggest natural disaster to ever befall
the western hemisphere. Haiti has all but been forgotten, but millions
of people are still suffering. They are hungry. They are sleeping on
dirt floors in tents that become muddy with nightly rain. Kids are dying
because they aren't getting fourteen dollar diphtheria shots. And the worst thing about it, is
that the hurricane season is coming. And it has just been predicted to
be one of the worst seasons in years. How will Jackson survive? How
will his cousins and schoolmates become the future of Haiti without
proper shelter or ample food? Hopefully our film will help us identify
with the humanity of Jackson's struggle. And it may even spur us into
action. Haiti can be saved. And with people like Pastor St. Cyr, I
believe there is hope. I was witness to plenty of small miracles, and I
believe a bigger one is yet to come.
Sincerely,
Jace Freeman
Please seriously consider helping fund this project. Even $5 helps, and seriously, aren't you dying to "meet" Jackson! And, look! He got to meet Sean Penn…who knew Sean Penn was so involved in Haiti??