Please join us for our Community Voices Documentary Film Screening on Thursday, December 7 at 7 p.m. in Folino Theater inside Marion Knott Studios (283 N. Cypress St., Orange). A Q&A with the filmmakers and a reception to follow. No RSVP necessary. Seating is first come.

Community Voices is a social issue documentary film program that links Chapman University documentary film students with Orange-County based organizations. Each semester, groups of students produce short character-driven portrait films that highlight causes the partner organizations aim to serve. The films are then used in the outreach and fundraising campaigns of these organizations, and are distributed via PBS broadcast, online streaming, educational distributors, and festival release. Community Voices films have won numerous festival awards and accolades, and have been seen by tens of thousands of television viewers in Southern California. Please join us as we celebrate these students and partner organizations.

This semester’s documentaries and partner organizations include the following:

SOME NERVE by Megan Ernst, Nikki Nahai, Dora Wu, Emily Tapanes
Organization: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Orange County
21-year-old Heather Craig has spent her life battling multiple sclerosis. This film tells Heather’s story, examining the impact of the disease on Heather’s life and her family, and telling a story of triumph over adversity, in the face of difficult odds.

GROUP by Jack Mullinkosson, Ben Allen, Meghan Wells, Claire Cai, Haley Saunders
Organization: Laura’s House
Three men try to find peace and reconciliation while going through a state mandated Batterers Intervention Program.

MOSAIC by Alexander Barrett, Christian Mininsohn, Roxanneh Mousavi, James Tian, Bianca Beasley
Organization: ASPIRE Creative Arts Program
This film tells the story of a day in the life of Keith, a young man living with Down Syndrome who finds tranquility and self expression in the arts.

CYRUS THE UNSINKABLE by Wiley Bonham, Jordan Gorman, Collin Miller, Ellie Vargas, Jen Xu
Organization: Miracles for Kids
Cyrus and his family have battled a lifetime of near fatal illness. Cyrus tells the story of this remarkable boy and his family’s success in overcoming his physical challenges.

WHALE TALES by Natalia Hermida, Corentin Leroux, Safi Nazzal, Armando Vernet
Organization: Pacific Marine Mammal Center
Whale Tales uses an innovative, hybrid documentary-fiction format to tell the dire story of whale entanglement at the hands of the fishing industry in Southern California.

With many thanks to the Dhont Family Foundation for their generous support of the Community Voices initiative.

Community Voices Fall 2017