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on May 5
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #14In less than 12 hours...
In less than 12 hours, Alex (and the film crew) will be in the air, on our way to where he and Ali are going to be reunited for the first time in 35 years. THANK YOU for your support during Pride 2011 last June when we publicly launched the project - we couldn't have made it here without you! We're leaving from Chicago O'Hare and have 2 connections in Europe before landing at our location late Sunday night. Ali arrives Monday morning, and we'll be at the airport to greet him!! Having worked on this project for 3 years now, I can't believe the actual reunion is less than 48 hours away! I'll be posting pix to the film's facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/alexandali), and tweeting updates @alexandali If there's any message you'd like me to deliver to Alex and Ali upon their reunion, please send a message to me here on Kickstarter, or you can post on our facebook wall. Thanks again for your support, and for all the encouraging messages and words! Best, Malachi LeopoldPost Comment -
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on December 15
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #13Chicago Tribune Coverage of "I am the Water, You are the Sea"
Post CommentChicago Tribune writer Nina Metz did a great write up on the project's continued development today! Check out the article here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-mov-1216-chicago-closeup-20111215,0,3672320.storyIt's exciting to think that the reunion is a little more than 90 days away! We're working on the logistics for filming the reunion, both safely and making sure we don't miss the crucial moments of "first sight" and "first contact" after more than 34 years of separation. It looks like we'll be using crew both from the U.S. and from Europe, and are even figuring out how we could use an old 8mm film camera to capture some of the moments.
And, with the winter fast upon us (at least here in Chicago!), here's a picture from the 1970's when Alex and Ali were traveling together during a winter in northern Iran:
(If you didn't know it snows in Iran, it does indeed! Ski resorts are highly popular destinations in the winters!)
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on October 31, 2011
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #12"I am the Water, You are the Sea" Fall 2011 Update
For backers only
Post Comment
If you’re a backer of this project, please
log in
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on September 7, 2011
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #11Help us win "Project of the Week" on indieWIRE! Please vote now!
Post CommentAfter being featured as a "Project of the Day" during our kickstarter campaign, "I am the Water, You are the Sea" is now up for a public vote to possibly become indieWIRE's next "Project of the Week!" The press and increased coverage and visibility for the film would be fantastic, so please help us by taking 60 seconds to quickly click your mouse on the facebook poll here:
http://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/view/mwqvl7b9
or here: bit.ly/pMBVaV
Thanks for the help!
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on August 14, 2011
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #10"Don't ask, don't tell? Yeah, right." New blog post.
The Facebook page for "I am the Water, You are the Sea" received an interesting comment this week. Here's a new blog post in response:
http://lbrbproductions.com/wp/2011/08/14/dont-ask-dont-tell-yeah-right
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on August 10, 2011
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #9"The Sound of Two Souls" - new blog post
Post CommentThe weekend in Portland with Alex for his PeaceCorps/Iran reunion was wonderful - here's a pic from Portland, and a link to the new blog post about how Alex and Ali are feeling with their reunion just around the corner:
http://lbrbproductions.com/wp/2011/08/10/the-sound-of-two-souls/
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on August 3, 2011
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #8A reunion before the reunion
Post CommentSo this weekend I'm heading to Portland to join my uncle for a pre-reunion reunion. Peace Corps volunteers - approximately 300 of them - who have served in Iran over the last 50 years, will all be converging in the city of Portland for 3 days of festivities. Besides my uncle Alex, the roster will include several Peace Corps volunteers who had decided to stay in Iran during the revolution, and who were subsequently held hostage during the siege of the American Embassy in Tehran. It will be fascinating to hear their stories!
Many volunteers will also be coming with video and pictures from their time in Iran over the last 50 years, in addition to individuals who have recently spent time in Iran and will be sharing what the environment was like for them there.
Besides filming Alex's time in Portland and his conversations with friends and colleagues, I'll be tweeting (@alexandali) and posting to the "I am the Water, You are the Sea" facebook fan page (facebook.com/alexandali) throughout the weekend. I'll also be writing a blog post about how Alex and Ali are feeling as they continue to prep for their reunion this fall (I'll be learning the exact dates for the reunion in the Middle East this weekend, too!). I'll send a link to the blog post through a new Kickstarter update later this weekend.
All the best,
Malachi Leopold
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on July 27, 2011
Malachi Leopold
backed a project
Appalachian Spring: A Green Story by Bob Hercules & John McCarthy
The film tells the stories of 3 brilliant green inventor/entrepreneurs in Appalachian Ohio trying to solve the global warming crisis.
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102% funded $5,100 pledged
- 68 backers
- Funded Aug 21, 2011
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on July 6, 2011
Malachi Leopold
backed a project
THE ILLUSIONISTS documentary – insecurity sells by The Illusionists team
The Illusionists is a documentary about the commodification of the body and the marketing of unattainable beauty around the world.
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114% funded $37,708 pledged
- 363 backers
- Funded Aug 05, 2011
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on July 1, 2011
Malachi Leopold
Posted project update #7Success!
From myself, Alex and Ali - thank you so much for the support! We now have the initial funds needed to move forward with our plans to film the reunion of Alex and Ali this fall in the Middle East. Your contributions, literally, are helping bring these two together for the first time in nearly 34 years. It's hard to believe that it won't be much longer before they'll be looking at each other - and holding one another - once again. Both are in their 60's - both held on to the belief that one day they would be together again. And now they will be.
It would not be happening without your support - so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
This weekend is the 4th of July weekend in the U.S. Since I didn't sleep much in June, I'm going to catch up a little bit =) But I'm also going to take the time this weekend - probably more than I ever have around Independence Day - and truly think about the freedoms I enjoy in the U.S. And how I - and all of us - can never give up on our work to empower and assist others in their quest for freedom. To inspire others that there's nothing they can't overcome, that we can't overcome, together. There's no government, no religion, no laws, no time or distance or dictator or border that can't be overcome. I don't want every nation to be just like America - I want differences, contrast, all colors of the rainbow. But I want them to be free. Free to live and to love without fear. Free to practice their religion in peace, free to love whom they want in peace.
At this time, Ali still lives in a nation where he can be killed for being gay. We'll be taking every precaution as we continue with the project to ensure his safety. But we'll also be working tirelessly to make sure that future generations of Iranians - and indeed others around the world - can live without fear.
We'll be in touch again next week - we'll also be launching the Facebook fan page for the film, and will send the link so you can connect with us and continue following the progress of our work.
If you have ideas, resources, or ways you want to continue being involved with our efforts, please let us know - we'd love to explore ways to grow and magnify our efforts.
And once again - thank you so, so much for the support.
Here we go!!!
Sincerely,
Malachi Leopold
Post Comment -
Malachi Leopold
Chicago, IL
From South Sudan to Silicon Valley, Chicago to the Congo, I produce and direct films which inspire and help people to overcome adversity - from poverty to sexual violence, political repression to lack of education. I have 2 documentaries airing on PBS this year, one of which qualified for the 2010 Academy Awards.
You handled this beautifully. Bravo!