A new additon to this series:
In 2 weeks, Global CEO and Founder of GWEN (The Global Womens Empowerment Network) and Filmmaker Tess Cacciatore join us with her award-winning, heart-pounding short film based on a true story about human trafficking. (scroll for more)
Meanwhile, deep thanks to Kim Watson and Steven Ullman for being with us as my Featured Guests for this first screening salon of this online series, HOPE, SWEET HOPE. They are both the result of ripples that started decades ago.
I met Kim a month ago, thanks to a fortuitous introduction via someone who I've know for over 10 years, "You need to meet Kim. Come to his opening at the City Club... tomorrow." It was a busy week, but I did!
As for Steven, literally decades ago clipped a Newsweek article about a man in Paris who hosted dinners. That led me to a filmmaker who made a film, Meeting Jim, that I wanted for my Vulnerability & Connection series back in 2022. Fast forward to now, and we're making a film together. You just never know!
.. and ripples like these are why I bring people together through these screening salons and in other ways.
Speaking of which, the next salon in this ONLINE series is on Tuesday April 30th. (We’re skipping next Tuesday to go to DC to film events surrounding the Johnson vs Grants Pass case that will be heard by the Supreme Court. (Look for posts @inthenameofhopefilm and @ChristineLeuthold on Instagram and Facebook.)
Here are the Quick Links to book salons and to the series program.
And now, back to this first salon:
Before introducing Kim and Steven, I asked everyone about what comes to mind with the phrase "hope, sweet hope." Responses ranged from safety, comfort, and safety to action, optimism and possibility.
After Kim and Steven shared a bit about the short films we'd be watching, that's what we did, with group conversation afterwards.
Here's what we watched, with links to watch and share them:
Kim's film, Trespass - Portraits of Unhoused Life, Love, and Understanding (8 min.) is his "attempt to shine a light on one of the biggest travesties of our time: homelessness," to quote his book of the same name, which was just released -- and just happened to arrive in my mailbox the morning after the salon!
His feature length film of the same name is in post-production.
Contrary to Trespass, In the Name of Hope  (4 min.) was screened in the form of a promo reel, to give a sense of what will become a feature length film. The film will share the stories of people who have had the courage and the support, to move from being unhoused to being 'homed.
(Full disclosure, 'Steven's film' also happens to also be mine, since he is the Producer and I'm the Director.)
Here's an excerpt from the email I sent out to this weeks salon participants:
Salon Follow-Ups:
How Can You Support?
Trespass:
Buy Kim’s Book and contact him about places for potential book signings.
Follow & Share:  Instagram: @kimwatsonart, Facebook: @Kim Mwatson, X: @KimWatsonArt
In the Name of Hope:
Support our Kickstarter campaign asap please. We've had such great support, and now, we just need $3k more to get us past our goal!
Follow & Share: Instagram & Facebook @IntheNameofHopeFilm
In the News:Â Â 2 video clips, one from today, the other, from Sunday.
In today's New York Times: This directly relates to the Johnson vs. Grants Pass case that will be heard by the Supreme Court next Tuesday… and why we’ll be filming in DC next week.Â
This piece aired last Sunday on CBS Sunday Morning w/ Jane Pauley.
Kim and Steven join me in saying thank-you to everyone who was there and who reads this, and I hope to see you on the 30th with Gabriel Diamond (scroll down for details).
Here are the Quick Links to book salons and to the series program.
Next Up, on Tuesday, April 30th:Â HOME - Removed & Returned
Welcome to the HOPE, SWEET HOPE lineup,Tess... and Gabriel Diamond, we'll now see you for the final salon of this series on May 7th!
More about all our Featured Guests here.
Tess's film, The Rescue This film won the Social Justice Award at the Cannes World Film Festival and the award for Best Female Director at the Whistleblowers Film Festival in Washington, DC. Â (Coincidentally, that's where I'll be next week for the film I'm directing.)
In the meantime, you can "meet" our May 7th Featured Guest, Gabriel Diamond, through this clip of from a past screening salon when we was my Featured Guest with his narrative film, Less.
See you on April 30th, May 7th or both of the salons of this series? I "hope" so, and always feel free to reach out!
ChristineÂ
Quick Links to book salons and to the series program.