AmDocs 2019 – And Now We Rise: A Portrait of Samuel Johns
A young Athabaskan hip hop artist works to heal from his own traumatic childhood by leading a sober life encouraging cultural pride and helping homeless in Alaska with a Facebook group, Forget Me Not.
Interview with Director/Producer Mary Rosanne Katzke
Watch And Now We Rise: A Portrait of Samuel Johns on Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made the film because I wanted to profile a positive story about a young Alaska Native activist. I love our indigenous people and have worked among our many native cultures for over 30 years and have a kinship for their triumphs and struggles. I love their innate respect for their elders and traditions that are being revived today. Samuel gives us all hope about the strength of individuals to make a change.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This film reminds us we can all make a difference no matter how small, that we are all connected as caring human beings, and will never pass another homeless person without thinking about "the story behind the sign."
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Most everything I do is triggered by something personal. For instance, many of my friends were helping parents facing Alzheimer's when I made Backing Out of Time. I took my ten-year-old son out of school after a family tragedy and we traveled the world in World School. I am a 27-year survivor of breast cancer and have made several films on that topic. I have a soft spot for children and adults with special needs and have produced about ten short films on that topic. I had a next door neighbor who was tragically burned as a child and told her story.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Since it's a documentary, there is no real script. If anything I had dreams of going deeper than the subject was comfortable with, but we were still able to create a moving film that contributes to the betterment of mankind. It took quite a while to build the necessary trust to get as far as we did as we are not Alaska Native and many many funders turned us down for that reason.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Lots of tears, over 60,000 views of the teaser with so many heartfelt comments, hoping to see the film used as a motivational tool for social workers, as well as just everyday people who may be numb to the pain of others immediately surrounding them.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not really - I always knew in my heart this was an amazing young man whose story would have relevance across all strata of society.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would like to sell our film in foreign television markets. Honestly, it's the only way we keep making more films is with the revenue from our previous works.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All of the above.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
People taking action locally as well as globally. We have the resources in the world to feed, cloth, house all of humanity - it is simply a matter of distribution of resources.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What do you think when you pass a homeless person or camp? Most will brush them off as alcoholics, and this is simply not the case, nor is it the reason they are homeless - it may be a result of being homeless as much as so much else, such as untreated mental illness.
Would you like to add anything else?
Please ask to host a screening in your community - we can help, Sam can come and speak, we are motivated to make a difference.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We are working on some shorter films about cancer, and opiate addiction in the villages in rural Alaska.
Interview: March 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
And Now We Rise: A Portrait of Samuel Johns
A young Athabaskan hip hop artist works to heal from his own traumatic childhood by leading a sober life encouraging cultural pride and helping homeless in Alaska with a Facebook group, Forget Me Not.
Length: 56:40
Director: Mary Rosanne Katzke
Producer: Mary Rosanne Katzke
About the writer, director and producer:
MARY ROSANNE KATZKE founded Affinityfilms, Inc. in 1982 and has produced over three dozen social issues films related to women, children, vulnerable populations and indigenous people of Alaska. Highlights include: About Face, World School, Survive and Thrive, Backing Out of Time.
Key cast: Samuel Johns
Looking for: sales agents, film festival directors, buyers, journalists
Facebook: Affinityfilms, Inc.
Twitter: @maryrkatzke
Instagram: @affinityfilms
Hastags used: #documentary #alaska #indigenous #culturalempowerment #homelessness #affinityfilms #andnowwerise #akrebel #forgetmenot
Website: affinityfilms.org
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Vision Maker Media, Atwood Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation
Funders: Vision Maker Media, Atwood Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? At the BearTooth Theatrepub in Anchorage Alaska on April 29 at 5:30 PM