RECENT DOCUMENTARY FILM WORK
ROLE: PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, EDITOR

Through the eyes of an aging generation, The Elders examines what it really means to live, by coming of age. An aging engineer reminisces about designing a rocket-catapult ejection seat, then breaks down in tears when asked about his marriage. A Japanese American recounts how getting sent to an internment camp caused her to reshuffle her dreams. And memories of falling in love—and getting jilted—reverberate down the decades. “We all have a history of some kind,” says the 94-year-old Louise, whose story is threaded throughout the other interviews. “Everybody not only has a story, everybody is a story.” Director Nathaniel Hansen captures these seniors’ stories, pet peeves, and spirits, which are undimmed by time. THE ELDERS shines a light on memories that are at risk of fading out, but deserve illumination. The Elders premiered at the Independent Film Festival Boston, in 2013. Called “outstanding” and “remarkable” by Boston Globe film critic Peter Keough, the documentary film is streaming on Vimeo. — Anya Weber for IFFB