Bolder Life Festival is very excited to present the film  “Give” for it’s World Premiere!

Please, meet Vanessa Leigh.  She is the Director of this short documentary.

BolderLife Festival:  Vanessa, welcome to the BolderLife Festival! Would you please introduce yourself?

Vanessa Leigh: I am a 25-year-old filmmaker born and raised in Northern California. I am a screenwriter for short and feature length films and I coach volleyball to middle school and high school athletes.

BolderLife Festival:  What is your film about? How did you find the idea for this film? What is the message of the film?

Vanessa: I’ve always wanted to be part of more than where I grew up; more than the experiences of my youth; more than the consistent routine my mother and I inevitably endured as my father became increasingly ill. I knew for several years that I wanted to make a film chronicling the life my parents share and the difficulties we all experienced due to my father’s illness. Over time, however, my focus shifted from making a film about my father’s disease, to making a film about my mother’s selflessness. There are so many documentaries about people living with an illness, and while they are informative and important, I wanted to take on a different perspective and appreciate the people taking care of their loved ones. For each of the twenty years since my father’s diagnosis, my mother has been by his side, doing her best to make his life more manageable and comfortable. I wanted to capture what she does, how she feels, what her needs and wants are, how she’s changed, what hurts, what makes her happy, and so on. It isn’t just about taking care of family. It is about the profound affects caregivers experience from watching someone they love in pain. He is her life. Her life is him.

Within my effort to be more and do more I’ve come to an understanding that the way I grew up is significantly responsible for the immense passion I have for storytelling. I resent nothing. I never thought my first project would be about the only truly painful thing I’ve ever experienced. I want to transmit a universal message and theme of love and educate people on the impact of sacrifice, but more importantly, I want to appreciate caregivers for everything they do. I know that it isn’t easy. But for some, it’s life.

BolderLife Festival: What do you think about BolderLife Festival? How does it feel to be a part of this event?

Vanessa: Bolderlife was the first festival to contact me in regards to my film’s acceptance. “Give” is my first project, therefore, it is the first time I have ever submitted a piece of work to the festival circuit. That alone makes being part of this event special for me. I appreciate that Bolderlife has a clear vision regarding the types of film’s it stands behind and supports. Not many festivals cater to something specific aside from genres or time lengths. I love that Bolderlife specifically goes after films that touch on adversity and struggle and the ways we overcome them, whether it’s with love, courage, or simply the will to live.

“For it is in giving that we receive.”
Frances of Assisi

BolderLife Festival:  What do you think about BolderLife’s  vision/mission statement?

Vanessa: The Bolderlife Festival has such a clear direction of what it chooses to express. The fact that it looks for something very specific that kindles the human spirit is a beautiful thing to be part of.  It gives the audience a chance to be educated on a different way of living, discover a world unknown, be reflective on their own life and introspective regarding their own thoughts, emotions, and psychological responses. The latter is invaluable because we see ourselves in the films we watch and I believe that it has the ability to change us.

BolderLife Festival: Do you live a bolder life? What do you personally think how to live a bolder life?

Vanessa: When I graduated from high school, I moved to Los Angeles and lived there for four years. I gained knowledge and experience working on various film sets and for an independent production company. Like most journeys, my experience in LA taught me a lot, but I also went through a lot of things that I would consider less than favorable. I was still growing up and at times it was a pretty vicious world.

I chose to move back to San Jose so I could help my mother take care of my father and grandmother. I was fortunate enough to begin coaching high school volleyball immediately upon my return, which helped immensely with the transition of moving back home whilst thinking at the time that my career in entertainment was essentially over since I was no longer in Hollywood. Coaching those kids still helps me when I’m emotionally not at my best due to my home-life situation. It is a great thing to have in my life. I knew, however, that I had to push myself out of my comfort zone and make a film even if I didn’t have the same resources as I did in LA. I knew I would find a way to make it happen. And I did. Filmmaking is, after all, my passion, and regardless of where I live or whom I know, I would be a fool not to pursue it.

BolderLife Festival:  What would you say to the world:  Why should people come to BolderLife Festival?

Vanessa: Every film serves a purpose, but Bolderlife selections use human connection, love, spirituality, and overcoming adversity to educate its audiences and ignite personal reflection. That is a very powerful thing to be involved with. I am honored.

Thank you, Vanessa! We look forward to your film!

Event Information:

SIE Film Center – 2510 E. Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80206

• Saturday, December 7th at 2:30pm  “Give” will be screened as part of  “Extraordinary Life Stories – Documentary Shorts Program”

CLICK HERE to read more about the BolderLife Film Program 2013