PARTICIPANTS
REV. AMY HELLER
I met Rev. Amy Groves Heller at Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, TX, where she served as chaplain while I was teaching photography. Each morning, her thoughtful and inspiring devotionals grounded us before we began the day.
Known affectionately by students as “Mother Amy,” she is a deeply compassionate soul with a sharp, thoughtful mind. Despite facing a battle with cancer, she generously made time to speak with me for this film. Our conversation was unforgettable — as if time stood still — as she spoke with wisdom and grace about love, justice, and the enduring hope for peace.
Thank you, Mother Amy, for your presence, your words, and your light.
We first heard Tom at a concert in Dallas, TX, organized by local peace and social justice organizations. We were instantly captivated by his wit, humor and heart. Tom has lived in South America and Africa, worked as an educator, counselor and musician. He has 18 albums out, a doctorate in education and decades on the road promoting peace and social justice through his music. His uncompromising dedication to the cause of peace and his vast knowledge has been a great source of inspiration. Tom says as he sees it, and we are enriched by his insight. If you have not heard his music, make sure to visit his site or look him up in the main music streaming services.
Julia came to our studio many years ago for a new headshot. As we talked throughout the session it became evident that she is someone very special. We connected, she became our therapist and a good friend.
Julia is a die-hard Jungian therapist whose mission in life is to help people find themselves at an individual level. She brings to the film a much needed moment of self-reflection. As she says, “finding peace in the world starts with finding peace in oneself.” Julia has a heart for peace and social justice and has lived through the anti-war movement in the 60s, bringing perspective to our inquiry. We filmed her interview at the Japanese Garden in Fort Worth, which is her peace place.
We interviewed Eric Sirotkin in the serene woods behind his home near Santa Fe, NM—surrounded by birdsong and natural beauty, an ideal setting to hear his reflections on justice and peace.
A civil rights attorney with decades of experience, Eric is also a mediator, educator, and peacebuilder who emphasizes active listening as a tool for transformation. He was part of the historic effort to draft South Africa’s new constitution during the transition from apartheid (1991–94), working alongside leaders like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and learning deeply from the philosophy of ubuntu—a way of living that recognizes our shared humanity and interdependence.
Eric has also led peace-building initiatives in North Korea and continues to work globally as a speaker, filmmaker, and author. His memoir, Witness, is a powerful and inspiring read we highly recommend.
ORGANIZATIONS
We met Bill Morse in Cambodia when we visited the Cambodia Landmine Museum and he gave us a tour. We were shocked to learn about the extensive nature of the damage landmines have done and continue to do still today in Cambodia, decades after the war ended. Still today, many are wounded and killed by landmines and undetonated ordinances in Cambodia and in many former war zones in the world. Bill and his wife Jill moved from a comfortable life in Palm Springs to Cambodia and have been working tirelessly to alleviate the suffering resulting from these terrible weapons. Today, Bill supervises a group of 40 people working towards the national goal of making Cambodia landmine free by 2030. Jill is an educator, and together with Bill they have opened over 40 schools and assisted many to obtain high level education and contribute to the rebuilding of Cambodia. We are scheduled to film their work this fall.
We came in contact with this organization through Fort Worth Sister Cities International, who opened their doors to us as we seek to know more about the work of building meaningful relationships through cultural exchange. Their motto says it all: “because understanding is the final destination.” We have enthusiastically accepted their invitation to film the Japan Sister Cities Summit this fall, where we will have the opportunity to film and interview a Japanese philanthropist, himself a survivor of the bombing of his city in WWII and promotes peace thorough cultural exchange.
We first encountered the concept of ubuntu through Eric Sirotkin in Santa Fe, and quickly recognized its transformative power—shaping everything from our closest relationships to global diplomacy.
At its heart, ubuntu is simple yet profound: the understanding that we are all deeply interconnected, that my actions affect you, and yours affect me.
If we are to build a more peaceful world, we must listen to one another and recognize that what unites us is greater than what divides us.
“I am because we are” expresses the very essence of our shared humanity.