We Go Higher Is The First Documentary For And By Children of 9/11
We first talked about We Go Higher, the documentary about the children of 9/11 victims directed by Delaney Colaio (a child of 9/11 herself), back in June, and today its production company Women Rising released more information. The film is accepting tax-deductible donations through documentary.org, and you can support it here.
Read more in the press release:
AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 -- Women Rising, the media and production company that produced the award-winning documentary, A BRAVE HEART: THE LIZZIE VELASQUEZ STORY, announced today that it will produce the first ever documentary by and about the surviving kids of 9/11, entitled WE GO HIGHER. Catalyzed by her family’s invitation to speak at Guantanamo Bay against the five accused in the terrorist attacks, Delaney Colaio is on a quest to connect with other children who lost parents on 9/11 in order to unify their community and shed new light on their shared experience from one of tragedy to hope.
Delaney Colaio, who lost her father Mark and two uncles, Stephen and Thomas, on September 11th at the age of three, hopes that WE GO HIGHER will give people the opportunity hear these stories of overcoming tragedy with love, peace and forgiveness first-hand from the kids themselves, providing them with a collective voice.
“I’ve always been defined by 9/11,” said Delaney. “I feel grateful that this film will give me the opportunity to give my pain a sense of purpose while also sharing what this tragedy has taught me and other children. We all grieve differently, but this film will show how you can reach a sense of hope through loss.”
A total of 3,051 young people from the ages of 0-18 lost their parent(s) on September 11, 2001. In a time of political and cultural disconnect, these kids want to bring a story of hope and inspiration to the forefront. Led by Delaney, audiences will follow five other stories and venture with them on their unique journeys to rise above and bring strength, love, and peace to those around them.
“WE GO HIGHER aims to be a tool for recovery and will work to inspire a new and renewed sense of hope and unity, said Women Rising Founder & WE GO HIGHER Producer, Sara Hirsh Bordo. “Delaney’s bravery and the bravery of the kids to step forward and cast a new light on darkness in a positive way, represents the strength of a new kind of American hero.”
Fundraising is being handled through the International Documentary Association’s Fiscal Sponsorship Program. Proceeds from the film will benefit Tuesday’s Children, a response and recovery organization who cares for communities impacted by loss, which was formed in the aftermath of 9/11.
“Tuesday’s Children is honored to be a part of this project. It is rewarding to know that some of the children of 9/11 are being given the opportunity to participate in their own way on their own terms about their healing process after losing their parents,” said Tuesday’s Children Executive Director Terry Grace Sears. “There is no greater voice to uphold the American spirit than the children of 9/11 and to show the world how we can rebuild and be stronger than before.”
ADOBE has signed on as a technology and film-editing partner. Picture Motion will be supporting community outreach. Production of the film will begin in July 2017 and will be slated to premiere 2018.
Delaney Colaio will serve as the co-writer and co-director of the film; Women Rising Founder & CEO Sara Hirsh Bordo will serve as Producer of the film; and Michael Campo will direct the film and also serve as a co-writer.
