As We Are Planted
Director, Producer, Cinematographer || 2021 || 7 Minutes
Just Roots Chicago Volunteer Lawrence Riley sits gathering fresh produce.
CineYouth || Best Chicago Film || 2021
No Malice Film Festival || Winner in Age Bracket || 2021
Chicago Film Awards || Best Student Film || 2021
One Earth Film Festival || Honorable Mention in College Level || 2021
Spotlight Documentary Film Awards || Gold Award || 2022
Chicago Onscreen || Official Selection || 2021
Revival Film Festival || Official Selection || 2021
Chicago Southland Film Festival || Official Selection || 2021
Chicago Multicultural Film Festival || Official Selection || 2021
International Filmmakers Festival of New York || Official Selection || 2021
Manifest Urban Arts Festival || Documentary Showcase || 2021
Your Passion First || Documentary Screening || 2021
Doc Chicago Film Showcase || 2021
Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Fest || Official Selection || 2021
Ebert Fest || Official Selection || 2021
On the South Side of Chicago, Saint James Catholic Church and Just Roots Chicago come together to combat the effects of food insecurity while also cultivating community.
Ellen Moderhack (left) works with Sean Ruane (center), co-founder of Just Roots Chicago, and a volunteer (right) to sort and wash produce that was gathered on a rainy day.
As We Are Planted explores how two organizations are coming together and meeting communities where they’re at when it comes to food insecurity through the non-profits Just Roots Chicago and Saint James Catholic Church. Sean Ruane is the co-founder of Just Roots Chicago and is driven to providing sustainable food options to underserved Chicagoans. Cathy Moore is the Food Pantry Coordinator at Saint James Catholic Church, and was a volunteer for seven years prior to her role on staff at the church, and is passionate about working with and for people, serving the community in the food pantry capacity. As We Are Planted shows local Chicagoans the power of community and the ways other communities can meet their members where they are at.
Cathy Moore, Food Pantry Coordinator at Saint James Catholic Church, holds her grandson while preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Scores of Chicagoans line up outside Saint James' Food Pantry to be a recipient of the food pantry services.
Director and Producer Anna Lee Ackermann
Editor, Colorist, and Motion Graphic Artist Isabella Paulitz
Cinematographers Peyton Johnson, Jack Reddick-Cole, and Anna Lee Ackermann
Drone Operators Carlos Soto and Diego Beltran
Sound Mixer Rita Dennin
Boom Operator Maddi Banno
Sound Editor Ally Gill
Sound Editing and Re-Recording Mixer Arbob Khan
In a back parking lot of the food pantry, volunteers unpack crates of donated food and discard empty boxes.
In The News
Youth Film Showcases Chicago Communities || NBC 5 Chicago
CineYouth Festival: New Chicago filmmakers featured in worldwide showcase || Chicago Tribune
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