The Stream is a wonderful family movie anchored in the 80s before the “techno craze.” It is an adventure/comedy that models healthy relationships between teen peers, as well as family, while dealing with the insecurities of transitioning into young adulthood. It is funny and entertaining with a clean script. It provides a glimpse of “yester-life” when “face-to-face” was intimate, real and warm. The movie has big plusses: 80% of the proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls clubs of America and it is dedicated to a member of our DFW community: Nkonyezi Nathifa Nanyamka, who was an avid humanitarian, photographer and young producer. The movie debut was October 18, 2013, in the Regal/United Artists theatres in 18 major cities: Grand Prairie, Chicago, LA, NY…
This movie is special because Dreaming Tree Film foundation does authentic social good for youth in major urban areas. With crime rates and poverty soaring, mentoring that offers teens an opportunity to showcase creativity rather than destruction, speaks to our inner core that yearns to give with purpose and dignity. Dreaming Tree films, like our “Artist and Elaine Thornton foundation” encourage and empower teens to dig deep within and bring home a unique “bacon” that only love and faith in oneself can produce. It offered my daughter, Nkonyezi, an avenue to realize her potential relative to a future in film-making. She was fortunate enough to be able to make a short film with Dominique moynihan, the hobbit in “Lord of the Rings.” Her aspiration, before her life was cut short, was to use Photojournalism to help women and children in war torn and abusive relationships heal through their pictorial stories and writings. Unfortunately, in 2012, illness ended her dream, however, not before she was able to share her version of compassion through collaborations that produced support for students in need of food, clothing and items necessary to succeed in college. Though healing herself, I watched with amazement as she shared her gift with the camera and poetry, with elders in nursing homes, in the DFW area, with enthusiasm and love. To see Elders encouraged with beaming faces was a gift unto itself.
Though this is a love story tinged by sorrow, it is also about dreams that blossom and illuminate souls from integrated circuits of humanity; that express love in a compassionate way. Hence, the stuff that brings life to devitalized souls, in a world that is “nutritionally disadvantaged,” changing our world for the better. In a healthy world, where children are the future, then our vision must include them; not on the periphery, but we must “stream” love, intimacy and wisdom direct to their hearts.