June was a whirlwind, climaxing in the New Jersey International Film Festival, where the film received honorable mention in the best documentary category, and an emotional response from the attending audience. The film was attended by both Dave Kiley and Joe DeGironimo, the primary subjects in “For the Life of Me”. The dinner held before the screening was the first moment the two men met – it was a great affair, and it was wonderful how many members of NJ-CARE made it to Rutgers for the film’s NJ premiere.
The film has its very origins in the state of New Jersey, where the first rolls of tape were shot in 2005 with the intention of creating a 45 second PSA. Thanks to Pam Hasegawa’s encouragement, and the kindness and support of many other people, the film grew into a feature. Screening it in New Jersey was like bringing it back home.
With New Jersey on the cusp of passage of adoptee access legislation through both houses – a historical moment – I was also able to film one of the final hearings of S799 as it passed through the Assembly Health committee, and on to the next stage, the entire Assembly, a vote that will take place this fall. If you haven’t weighed in yet with a letter to Governor Christie regarding the bill, please take a moment to visit www.nj-care.org and find out ways you can help. There continues to be a lot of misinformation out there – the folks at NJ-CARE deserve a standing ovation for their tenacity and patience…