By Nancy Burns-Fusaro Sun staff writer Jun 22, 2024
MYSTIC — A few hours before the inaugural film festival at StoneRidge senior living community in Mystic was set to begin, the stars of the show — Filmmakers Jane Allen, Rita Jolly, Cormac O’Malley and Joan Harte Weigel — were gathered around a long table in a small conference room showing not hint of stage fright.
On the contrary, the four documentarians were relaxed and talkative as they discussed their very personal films — which were about to make their debuts at the festival, which was also to include a question and answer session with the stars and a reception for invited guests.
"We've already practiced," said a confident Jolly, 90, with a wide smile, as she glanced at Filmmaker Chris Kepple, the chief operating officer of Green Planet Films, who helped the four StoneRidge residents develop and create the films and organize the festival.
"I call them the fab four," said Kepple with a boyish smile. "I loved working with them."
"Senior adults are natural storytellers," Kepple said, explaining that the films, each about 15 minutes in length, are richly autobiographical in nature and feature each creator sharing intimate stories about their lives.
The films speak to universal topics such as love, loss, passion for the arts and the natural world, and the challenge of getting older, he said.
In her film, titled, “My Story," for instance, Jolly shares her family history as a daughter of Canadian immigrants who was raised alongside four siblings by her mother after the early passing of her father. She also tells stories about her nursing career and her participation in StoneRidge’s quilting group.
Allen, whose film is titled “The Music in My Life," tells how, from a very young age, she's been inspired by music. A retired social worker, Allen talks about how music remains her passion and is something she continues to pursue in her activities at StoneRidge.
In his film, called “Family Legacy with Love," O’Malley tells how he came to the United States as a young person who was, in his own words, “inwardly driven.” His experience of being an only child, coupled with a strong social mindset, fostered in him a strong awareness of self that developed into public service as a lawyer and historian of modern Irish history, he says in his film.
Weigel talks about her family legacy, early childhood and education in “A Life Well Lived,” her film in which she also talks frankly about the pain of leaving her home filled with memories, but the joys of coming to the community at StoneRidge. Weigel, who attended Chapman Technical High School in New London in the early 1900s, pointed out that the school pre-dated New London High School.
Jolly was interested in the idea of making a film about her life and memories and working with Kepple soon after she heard about the project and learned how it would all come together.
Kepple, who has written, produced and directed documentaries and television programs, has worked with several local organizations — from Stonington High School to Mystic Seaport — on organizing short documentaries and oral histories.
The idea of working with StoneRidge residents on such personal biographical films made perfect sense to him, he said.
After an initial outreach and communications with Michael Langlois, StoneRidge's director of Community Life Services, Kepple began to arrange general meetings with residents who expressed an interest in participating in the filmmaking project.
The process sort of evolved organically, according to StoneRidge Director of Marketing and Sales Jamie Cornell, who was also seated at the table along with Kepple, the filmmakers, StoneRidge Community Life Services Associate Ceilidh Burdick and Regional Sales and Marketing Director Sara Luckenbach.
It was an ideal collaboration, Cornell said.
"I was very excited to support the project because it's also an opportunity to showcase the lives of our residents for people considering moving to StoneRidge," she said. "It's a wonderful marketing tool ... to let people see our residents through the wonderful stories they tell and hear from residents about their life experiences."
"They have such creative minds," Burdick said.
Kepple said once his "fab four" made the commitment to the documentary project, they selected a theme, and using memories and personal photo archives they began to create meaningful stories about their lives. The four met regularly, sharing ideas and making suggestions.
"We looked forward to each session," Allen said.
"Especially listening to others share their stories," O'Malley said. "It's not until you have a project like this that you become aware of so much."
"It was hard to pack 94 years into 15 minutes," Weigel said. "It's nice to look back now and see how it all grew."
"We learned a lot," said Jolly. "Especially those of us who aren't so computer savvy."
"One of the benefits was the process of thinking through what we wanted to say," said O'Malley. "What it was we wanted to tell our families."
"It was the start of our genealogy," said Jolly.
There was a lot that ended up "on the cutting room floor" O'Malley added with a laugh.
"Cormac was a great support," Jolly put in. Weigel, lamenting the end of the project, said the editing was difficult.
"There's always next year," O'Malley said with a laugh.
"Yes," said Kepple. "Maybe this can be a pilot."
Recently, Kepple added, Green Planet Films was awarded a grant from Chelsea Groton Bank for $3,500 to expand its filmmaking workshop program, making it possible to work with more local organizations and nonprofits.
In addition to being personal biographies, he said, the stories told by his "fab four" are also rich with local history, especially pre-World War II stories.
"StoneRidge is a very interesting place," said Jolly. "You never know who you might be sitting next to."
"It's been like a gift to ourselves," O'Malley said, and for our families.
O'Malley's daughter Bergin, a Stonington-based mother, artist and musician, said she "loved" watching her dad's film.
“My father has spent so much of his life documenting his prominent parents and other family members, but not so much sharing his own story," she said, "so this was such a treat to watch."
"Though it is hard for anyone to sum up a life in under 15 minutes, what does come through is my father’s warmth, work ethic, curiosity and pride in and love of family," she wrote in an email.
"We all have our own story to share and a legacy to pass along," she said, "so I hope this wonderful project Chris Kepple is undertaking for the StoneRidge community inspires more stories to be shared!”
"If there's another one, I'd certainly sign up," said her dad.