Thanksgiving 2014 Newsletter

As I reflect back on the last year, I am constantly reminded of the people who have been tremendous supporters of Warrior Films. Your continued interest and contributions have made a very direct impact in furthering our mission and goals. So I give thanks this week for you.  Warrior Films is about transformation – individual human transformation, transformation of families and communities, and transformation of society - and you make that possible.

We are proud of our 2014 successes.  We literally couldn’t have done them without you. Highlights include:

• Screening a brand new, digitally restored, HD print of Hoop Dreams at Sundance in honor of the 20^th anniversary. (Thank you UCLA film archive, this is a distinct improvement over our original Beta tapes!)
• Starting the filming of two “year in the life” stories of teens experiencing the transformational difference of initiation and mentorship. Both teens participated in Melissa Michaels’ amazing “Surfing the Creative” experience.
• Filming the REACH/World As It Could Be/Alameda County partnership rite of passage program for youth.
• Continuing to serve as fiscal sponsors and supporters of two outstanding mentorship/initiation organizations: Youth Passageways and Ever Forward Club.
• Writing the foreword for the wonderful book “Building a Better Man” and continuing to give lectures and speeches about initiation and mentorship like this one.
• Hiring a Community Partners Director to spearhead the social movement we're building by growing relationships with youth development organizations, schools, parents, and community groups.
• Finally getting Journey from Zanskar available on I-Tunes and Amazon. (With your help, it could soon be on Netflix as well. Call 866-716-0414 to request it.)

These successes demonstrate the power of human compassion to mobilize and catalyze change. Through film, stories, partnerships, education and mentorship Warrior Films is committed to serving an active role in educating, engaging, and empowering youth, families, and communities everywhere.

We hope you will support our latest project, Rites of Passage. This film fits beautifully with our mission, informing parents, teachers, coaches, counselors, politicians and others about rites of passage (ROP) work and the meaningful and positive impact they have on young people, their families, and their communities. This film resonates deeply for me; I myself was a troubled teen, unconsciously desperate for male mentors and for initiation, searching for answers in drugs and alcohol and reckless behavior.

Rites of Passage documents what positive rites of passage and mentorship programs can offer and clarifies their importance in the everyday lives of youth everywhere. Your continuing support will allow us to release a 6-10 minute version of the Rites of Passage film in January, along with a six-part curriculum to help direct our viewers’ action.

To fund the short film’s completion and release, we’re raising $30,000 by December 31^st. In addition to the film, the funds will enable us to complete toolkits designed for various end users (colleges and universities, high schools, youth development agencies, community groups, psychologists, therapists, counselors, and parents).

Help us make this film a reality by sending your tax-deductible donation to Warrior Films, 41 Fairmount Ave., Oakland, CA, 94611, or click here online.

Thank you for your commitment to support social change through social-profit filmmaking. Together we will truly Bear Witness and Create Change.

With love and gratitude,

Frederick Marx

Producer/Director

• P.S. ** Want to help spread the word? Our goal is to get 100 youth mentoring and rite of passage organizations to sign our project endorsement letter.  We already have 45 organizations!  If you and your organization would like to sign simply let us know and we'll add your names.  Contact Ishtar@warriorfilms.org.