Blindsided The Movie

Starbird Films
1411 Trovillion
Winter Park, FL 32789
p: (407) 539-0471
f: (407) 539-0460
blindsided
sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves.
“Did you ever feel that you were living the perfect life?
That you would have to pinch yourself to see if it was just a beautiful dream?
Did you ever love so deeply that it could only be felt and not explained?
That’s how my life was with my wife and two children.
Until we learned that our son Jared, at the age of eleven, was going blind.”
– Mark Hara
When Tragedy Strikes, A Family Shatters
The Strength To Carry On Comes From The Most Unlikely Place Of All
Through Eyes That Can No Longer See, A Boy Shows Everyone A New Way To Look At Life
Blindsided is the award-winning documentary that captures the turmoil a family experiences after
discovering their 11-year old son Jared, is going blind. This inspiring film reveals how an unforeseen
tragedy tears apart this once devoted family and how Jared’s strength and indomitable spirit
eventually brings them closer together.
As Jared’s sight quickly fades, he is forced to give up his one true passion in life, ice hockey. His
need for something else brings his attention to learning the guitar, which he quickly masters. When
his favorite rock band SHINEDOWN hears Jared play, they give him a once in a lifetime opportunity
that will never be forgotten. Ultimately, it is music, friendships, and his desire to keep his family
together that give Jared the determination to fight for a new life. In return, it is Jared who gives
others the courage to fight.
Blindsided is not just another feel good movie about overcoming the inconceivable. The honesty and
openness captured in this riveting film set it apart from any other documentary. It is within this
uncommon candor, that Blindsided grabs your attention, and never let’s go.
Blindsided is a compelling look at tragedy, hope, forgiveness, and love. It is a heartfelt story where
reason is found within Jared’s misfortune. It is a journey that begins in the depths of despair, but
culminates with the powerful conclusion that: Sometimes In Darkness, We Find Ourselves.
Format:
High Definition Video (Sony CineAlta F900 24P)
63 minute documentary.
Awards:
Winner, Best Documentary – Idaho International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary – Spudfest Family Film and Music Festival
Winner, Audience Award, Best Documentary – Spudfest Family Film and Music Festival
Official Selection – Palm Beach International Film Festival
Official Selection – LaFemme Film Festival
Special Appearances and Performance: Shinedown (Atlantic Records)
For More Information Contact:
David Coleman - O: (407) 539-0471 ; C: (310) 428-8920
E: [email protected]
An Inspiring Documentary of One Boy’s Triumph Over Tragedy
www.blindsidedthemovie.com
Starbird Films
1411 Trovillion
Winter Park, FL 32789
p: (407) 539-0471
f: (407) 539-0460
blindsided
sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves.
What People Are Saying…
“Life Affirming and Insightful!” – Barbara Lester, CityLink Magazine
“Moments of shattering despair punctuate an otherwise hopeful and undeniably inspiring movie
about forgiveness, perseverance, and friendship.”
- John Thomason, Boca Raton Times – Forum Publishing Group
“A powerful and inspirational story deserving to be told.”
- Richard Propes, IndependentCritics.com
“In one word, "touching". It was for me, it was for my wife, my friends, and will be for any person
that's ever faced adversity. This film's tremendously broad appeal is driven by a real family with
members with whom everyone can relate. They face an extraordinary circumstance honestly and
heroically. I was deeply affected, and expect that the film's message of love, family, and the flaws
and strengths of the human character are told so authentically that people of all age ranges will be
similarly moved and inspired.”
-Joe Diamond, COO Alloy Education
“Blindsided makes you think about the value of family and the power of friendship. Treasure the
moments in your life, because as those who had the vision to make this film show, that "vision" is
not always guaranteed.”
- Julia Yarbough, News Anchor - WTVJ-NBC6 Miami
“Powerful, evocative, and inspirational. It is a family’s journey from disbelief and despair to hope
and determination. The film is a timely portrayal of love and friendship transcending religious lines.
The ability of the human spirit to soar is shown as a young man strives to be all he aspires to be.
Watching “Blindsided” one cannot but be moved to laugh, to cry, and above all be encouraged to
live fully and love unconditionally.”
- Reverend Colman McKenna, Just One Church
“As an educator I found this movie not only inspiring but as a highly recommended resource for
strengthening peer relationships amongst middle school students.”
- Rebecca Miller, Teacher - James Weldon Johnson Middle School, Jacksonville, FL
“I believe the film can help any family traumatized by severe illness, disability or injury… These
days, there are far too many films that emphasize violence, cruelty and materialism, and I am
refreshed by the theme of this production.”
- Peter J. Carlson, M.S., Psychotherapist
“What is blatantly clear is that enduring love and the supportive community of family and
friends are revealed once again as more valuable than gold."
- Dr. Terry Pooler - Pastor, Seven Day Adventist
“Incredible, inspiring film; this is the family film Spudfest was created for. Thanks!”
- Frank Muir, President/CEO Idaho Potato Commission (Sponsor - Spudfest Family Film Festival)
An Inspiring Documentary of One Boy’s Triumph Over Tragedy
www.blindsidedthemovie.com
Starbird Films
1411 Trovillion
Winter Park, FL 32789
p: (407) 539-0471
f: (407) 539-0460
blindsided
sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves.
About the Director:
Talia Osteen, an Orlando Florida native, is a graduate
of University of Southern California’s School of
Cinema-Television Production. She received her start
in entertainment as an actor at age ten and has since
starred in five national television series including
"What About It?” featured on FOX and “Secrets of the
Animal Kingdom” on ABC, and acted in a number of
independent films. Passionate about using film and
television as artistic means of telling impactful stories,
Talia was very excited to direct Blindsided, her feature
documentary directorial debut. She is inspired by
Jared’s story and hopes the film will do the same for
its viewers. Currently, Talia resides in New York City,
where she works as Creative Executive for Mr. Rick
Schwartz with Blueprint Films. Schwartz, a former
production executive at Miramax Films, produced box
office hits such as The Aviator, Gangs of New York,
and The Others.
About the Producer/Co-Editor:
David Coleman, a Chicago native, has worked in the
entertainment industry for over ten years and has worked
for some of Hollywood’s top production studios such as
Warner Bros. TV and DreamWorks, SKG. Producing
and Directing credits include numerous video,
commercial, and theatrical productions. Some projects
on his development slate include a talk show for teens,
narrative & documentary films, and Music Magic - a
documentary on how one special teacher uses music to
change the lives of his autistic and down syndrome
students and the communities they live in. David
continues to lead the marketing, distribution, and
education & outreach efforts for Blindsided and is
thankful for the opportunity to share Jared Hara’s
inspiring and provocative story with all audiences.
An Inspiring Documentary of One Boy’s Triumph Over Tragedy
www.blindsidedthemovie.com
Starbird Films
1411 Trovillion
Winter Park, FL 32789
p: (407) 539-0471
f: (407) 539-0460
blindsided
sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves.
Other Production Team Bios:
Mark Moormann, Director of Photography
Mark Moormann is a Miami-based filmmaker whose most recent film, Tom Dowd and the
Language of Music, made it’s premiere at 2003’s Sundance Film Festival and is currently being
distributed by Palm Pictures. Other cinematography and directing credits include music videos,
commercials, interactive media, and documentaries including Once Upon A Time On South
Beach, Hidden Rivers of the Maya and Moonlighting In Haiti. His extensive body of work also
includes film shoots with directors such as Spike Lee and Gus Van Sant, as well as
collaborations in the studio with recording artists such as Aerosmith, Stevie Ray Vaughan and
Michael Jackson. A graduate of the Florida State University in Tallahassee, he is the recipient
of numerous awards and fellowships for his work.
Oliver Peters, Editor
Oliver Peters has over 35 years of film and television experience and has been involved in
countless award-winning commercials, feature films, television programs and short films. His
credits as supervising film editor include The Way Back Home, The First of May, Hoover,
Michael Winslow Live, The Reggae Movie and El Poder Del Shakti. Oliver is also a contributing
editor/writer for Videography magazine. Some of his awards include Telly's, a Monitor Award
for best editor and a national Addy Award.
Richard Achor, Sound Editor/Re-recording Mixer
Richard has over 30 years' experience as an audio editor and mixer. He has worked on over 300
episodes of network television as well as numerous commercials and feature films. Richard is a
five time nominee and one time winner of the Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel
award, and also has an extensive music background as a performing musician and recording
engineer.
An Inspiring Documentary of One Boy’s Triumph Over Tragedy
www.blindsidedthemovie.com
Starbird Films
1411 Trovillion
Winter Park, FL 32789
p: (407) 539-0471
f: (407) 539-0460
blindsided
sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves.
Director Notes:
As a filmmaker, I always wanted to work on projects that I believed would be more than just
entertaining, but important. Blindsided turned out to be just that kind of project. Originally we
were going to shoot a short documentary about the unique friendship between thirteen-year-old
Jared Hara and his best friend, Ali Hakim. In today’s world, when it seems rare that a
friendship could exist between Jews and Muslims, Blindsided intended to show how two young
boys could defy this perception. As Jared’s world slowly went dark Ali never left his friend’s
side. He walked Jared around at school, helped him with homework, and found new activities
for them to do together. He made Jared feel ‘normal.’
The film was to follow the boys along a journey on the sea, as they attempted to trek from Ft.
Lauderdale, FL to Nassau, Bahamas—a twelve-hour trip by boat, which is how most people
travel the route. Jared and Ali, however, were going to do it on an inner tube! No one had ever
done this before. The trip would be symbolic of their friendship and Jared’s journey to
overcome his handicap.
However, soon after production began, a much greater story unfolded. As I got to know the
Hara family, they slowly opened up about the profound effects that the tragedy of Jared’s
blindness had upon them individually and as a family. It was in the unraveling of their personal
stories that unexpectedly, the heart of the film was revealed. They began sharing with the
camera, one by one, revealing the blame they placed on each other, the guilt they endured, and
the fear they felt for Jared’s new life. It was during these interviews and the revisiting of their
on-camera purging, that we saw the healing begin.
My greatest wish for Blindsided is that it will give hope to others, even when hope seems
impossible. It is a film about the gift that sometimes comes through pain; it is a story of love,
family, friendship and community. Most of all, it is about creating light when plunged into
darkness.
The Story Continues:
In the film, Jared’s contagious zest for life is demonstrated through one of his newfound
passions – mastering the guitar. After losing his sight, he began learning guitar and, in a short
time, excelled beyond anyone’s expectations. The devoted teen was even invited to play
alongside his favorite rock band, SHINEDOWN, at a local concert in front of thousands.
Music renewed Jared’s youthful excitement and passion for life. Today, the Hara’s have
turned their life work and attention toward a new focus and meaning: giving the gift of music
to other blind individuals. They have created a new organization, TalkingTabs, which uses a
method inspired by the “play by ear” technique that was developed to teach Jared guitar.
TalkingTabs offers beginner to advanced guitar lessons and gives blind students the ability to
play their favorite songs. (For more information visit www.TalkingTabs.com)
An Inspiring Documentary of One Boy’s Triumph Over Tragedy
www.blindsidedthemovie.com
Starbird Films
1411 Trovillion
Winter Park, FL 32789
p: (407) 539-0471
f: (407) 539-0460
blindsided
sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves.
Full Synopsis:
Everyone gets blindsided. Whether it’s a pop quiz in school, the person you love breaks up
with you, or the sudden loss of a family member, there are numerous ways to be blindsided. At
some point in life, everyone is forced to deal with the unexpected, the uncontrollable. For Jared
Hara, the pop quiz was the only experience he’d ever encountered with being blindsided, until
the day he was diagnosed, at the age of 12, with a rare genetic disease that would leave him
forever blind.
Jared lived a life some could only dream about. He was born to a family where worries were
few and far between. With deeply loving parents and a doting sister, Jared was the son and
brother whose personality not only included good humor, but dedication and perseverance. His
father Mark, in awe as he watched his son learn to ride his bike at an early age, asks, “Is there
anything this man can’t do?” Little did Jared’s father know, that question would soon be put to
the test.
Jared first discovered he couldn’t see out of one of his eyes at a routine visit to the doctor’s
office at age 11. His mother Ellen, asked Jared to go up to an eye chart and check his eyes.
Jared came running back to his mother and said, “Mom, I can’t see out of my right eye.” The
months that followed would prove to be agonizing and terrifying for Jared and his family. His
condition confounded doctors. Diagnoses ranged from tumors to Multiple Sclerosis. It was
finally determined that Jared had a rare genetic disease that was inherited from his mother,
Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. This disease would not only take Jared’s sight, but rip
apart his once tightly connected family.
Blindsided is the story of a family forced to face the truth about themselves during their darkest
hour. It’s a story of a father who must confront facets of his identity that force him to reconcile
with his own limitations; a mother who must accept that she’s passed on a disease that claimed
her son’s sight and possibly her daughter’s; a sister who must live with the fact that she carries
within her this gene that could render her blind at any moment, and a story of an uncommon
bond between a Muslim and Jewish boy who’s friendship helps Jared find the courage to face
his uncertain future with fierce determination and an unbreakable spirit
The emotional and inspiring one-hour documentary depicts Jared’s life-altering tragedy, its
effect on his family, friends, and community, and his triumphant rise above it all. His newfound
passion for guitar, an unlikely tubing adventure across the Atlantic Ocean, and a famous rock
band, each play an important role in helping Jared accept his new fate.
Blindsided is a realistic journey that begins in the darkness of depression, blame, and guilt, and
finds it’s way to a new place where the heart, not the eyes, becomes the window to the world.
An Inspiring Documentary of One Boy’s Triumph Over Tragedy
www.blindsidedthemovie.com
BLINDSIDED
Sometimes in darkness, we find ourselves...
Directed by Talia Osteen
Starring Jared Hara, The Hara Family
Distributed Independent - 2006 - 65mins - Rated NR
Richard Propes' Review *** B
www.independentcritics.com/reviews/blindsided.htm
"When Surrounded By Darkness, What Do You See?"
There is a secret to fully embracing the documentary "Blindsided: The Movie."
You must understand and accept director Talia Osteen's mission as a director. Osteen states "As a
filmmaker I always wanted to work on projects that I believed would be more than entertaining, but
important. "Blindsided" turned out to be just that kind of project."
If you can understand this vision and accept it as Osteen's mission for "Blindsided," then you will find
yourself inspired, educated and grateful by the time the closing credits roll.
"Blindsided: The Movie" is the story of Jared Hara, a young man whose seemingly ideal childhood is
forever changed by a seemingly routine visit to his doctor's office at the age of 12.
Up to this point, Jared's life was what nearly anyone would consider blessed. Jared was born into a
family where his needs were met, he had two deeply loving parents and a protective and caring older
sister. In short, he was living an ideal childhood.
That seemingly routine doctor's visit at the age of 12 changed everything. It was discovered that Jared
couldn't see out of one eye and, after multiple wrong diagnoses, Jared was diagnosed with Leber's
Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.
Jared, a healthy, happy and athletic young man, would go permanently blind by the time he turned 13.
This diagnosis, however traumatic it was on the Hara family, is not the root story of "Blindsided."
Not at all.
It is undeniable, and presented vividly through personal interviews, that Jared's diagnosis and resulting
blindness forever changed the dynamics of this family. It is also undeniable that the Hara family found
something deeper within themselves... perhaps deeper than they even realized they could go. The Hara
family, no doubt led by Jared's inspiring optimism and determination, discovered they could see light in
even their darkest moments, hope through even their most hopeless times and, perhaps more important
than anything, they could find a way to see the gifts within the pain they endured.
Jared's family, school, friends and doctors all participated in the filming of "Blindsided," and it is their
testimonies and experiences that drive the heart of this 65-minute documentary that captured the prize
for "Best Documentary Feature" at Spudfest this year.
Osteen, in her directorial debut, presents "Blindsided" in a straightforward manner complemented
marvelously by the cinematography of Mark Moorman, who also shot the marvelous "Tom Dowd and
the Language of Music."
This straightforward manner largely works to the film's benefit as Osteen's direction provides a depth of
intimacy often absent in documentaries based upon individuals. Whereas many filmmakers make their
subjects seem larger than life, Osteen presents both the glory and the often stark humanity of Jared and
his family. Only a fading camera shot during Jared's last hockey game seems particularly gratuitous.
(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)
In some ways, "Blindsided" reminds me of 2002's "Miracle in Lane 2," a Disney film starring Frankie
Muniz based upon the life of Justin Yoder, a young man with spina bifida. As in that film, "Blindsided"
doesn't just paint a pretty picture of an awe-inspiring young man. Osteen's film shares honestly the
Hara's individual and family journeys through depression, fear, anger, guilt and reconciliation.
Perhaps the fact that "Blindsided" was fi+lmed a mere two years after Jared's diagnosis contributes to
the fact that the interviews, events and testimonies in "Blindsided" all feel deeply real, spontaneous and
authentic. None of these individuals, with the possible exception of Jared's mother, seem particularly
comfortable talking, being filmed or in the spotlight. Quite simply, they are here opening themselves up
because of their respect for and love of Jared.
Jared's story alone is a powerful and inspirational story deserving to be told. However, the real irony of
"Blindsided" is that it started out as a different story.
Osteen had originally envisioned a film about Jared and his best friend, a young man named Ali Hakim.
Jared and Ali had announced plans to make the trek from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Nassau, The
Bahamas...a 12-hour boat trip, except for the fact that Ali and Jared were going to make the trip on an
inner tube.
Ali, a Lebanese Muslim, is THAT kind of friend to Jared, a Jew. He is the kind of friend who cried only
once over his friend's dilemma...he then returned his focus to celebrating a friendship that blindness
could not take away.
Yep, that's right. Throw into this inspirational story the story of a Muslim and a Jew who, through it all,
are blind to their differences.
Finally, there is Jared himself.
Jared is an ordinary young man. He lives as normal a life as possible while living the life of an
everyday high school student. Whereas he once envisioned life as a hockey player, Jared now focuses
on playing guitar and hopes to find band members for his band, Gift of Pain. Inspired by the methods
utilized to teach guitar, Jared's family has even founded TalkingTabs as an instructional technique
specifically designed to teach the visually impaired to play guitar.
It is, in fact, these people inspired by Jared who close "Blindsided" with a gentle power. It is the looks
of joy and the looks of hope on their faces as they hold their guitars that provides the perfect conclusion
to a film that is so much more than entertainment.
"Blindsided" is an important film.
"Blindsided" is about Jared Hara and the circle of love that surrounds him. It's about a young man who
took an event that could have destroyed his ideal childhood, but instead he turned into the ideal young
man. It's about this young man's family and friends who, when faced with darkness, made a decision to
see light.
"Blindsided" begs the question "If tomorrow your eyesight went away, what would you see?"
The Hara family has set up a website for all those interested in Talking Tabs. For more information on
"Blindsided," visit the film's website at www.blindsidedthemovie.com.
© Written by Richard Propes - Email Me!
blindsided photos
(Full Resolution Images Available Upon Request)
Jared Hara
Jared and his best friend, Ali, continue living
life to the extreme.
Ali Hakim helps teach his best friend,
Jared, to fish.
Jared raises his hand in triumph as he
attempts to go from Fort Lauderdale to
Bahamas on an inner tube.
Jared Hara and Ali Hakim continue to
enjoy each other’s friendship.
Jared meets his favorite band Shinedown.
Mark Hara watches as his child is put
through test after test.
Thousands of audience members cheer
Jared’s name.