STORY
“She crossed the desert with a rope dragging behind her, like a memory she couldn’t untie.”
SYNOPSIS
The intoxication of time with Rayla’s erratic father Taz teeters between exhilaration and abuse. Rayla finds herself forced into a terrifying task in the desert; a piece of twine and a tenuous trust is the only tie she has to refuge. Her father’s rebellious nature crumbles beneath the gravity of confronting his own turmoil and powerlessness. The bizarre lessons Taz sets out to teach Rayla unearth his scars and clouds their relationship.
World Premiere
Best American Short Film North & South America, Caribbean
Audience Choice Award
Women In Focus 1
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Best Short Film in the States
US Premiere
Best Director Roxanna Lewis
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Best Actor
Eric Palmer
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Best Producer
Roxanna Lewis
Best Cinematography Kate Ketcham
Best of Fest
Domestic Violence Awareness
Best Original Score
Panel Moderator
Visibility is Currency: The Power of Branding
Simon Pegg, Ciarán Hines, Bernarda Bobveðki
A 70’s love-child endures a piercing life lesson during a rare weekend visitation with her addicted, estranged father recently released from prison.
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DIRECTORS STATEMENT
RUN WILD (shot on super 16mm) is a narrative short based on my upbringing, a microcosm of damaged people bringing a little girl into the world they weren’t ready to meet. It calls out to the young child still crouching inside each of us, especially those who’ve endured fallout from growing up in a home where addiction, violence and mental health issues prevailed.
I chose to shoot on celluloid for very personal reasons; as one who launched into filmmaking after an exciting career as performer and choreographer + raising two kids, I wanted to take big risks and dive in feet-first to experience the medium in a way that felt authentic to the era in which this story was set (and really happened). I welcomed curiosity, wonder, and nostalgia into the creative process, along with love of experimentation and my most vulnerable fears - embracing mistakes as part of the work. I wanted to grow, and knew the demands of shooting on 16mm would push both myself and the team toward a richer, more expansive collaboration together.
Through the making of this film, I aim to pry open the strong hold that childhood secrets carry over time – if only briefly - just long enough to remind us all that we are not alone. This story is not about saving another or surrendering one’s constitution; it’s about standing firmly on your own two feet and learning to love beyond a sense of duty.
It is my hope, for the inner-child in all of us, that this film offers reassurance: you are not alone. Healing from the scars – and even the poison – left by others is possible. You are capable. You are worthy. You are loved.
- Roxanna Lewis
Run Wild is a narrative short based on the true story of my own upbringing
RUN WILD SOCIAL IMPACT
POSITIVE PERSONAL HEALING
"Roxanna Lewis has dared turn her private pain into a vehicle to support the many millions who suffer alone and many more millions who need to be educated. She is an exquisitely sensitive artist, skilled filmmaker and generous teacher. This film will touch your heart, open your mind and create connections not before experienced."
Marcia Greenleaf, Ph.D.
Health Psychologist
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (retired)
Medical Staff, Lenox Hill Hospital (retired)
TESTIMONIAL
EXPERIENCE
May 2025, Roxanna was Key Presenter at the powerful We Believe event in Canada. Roxanna anchored a life-changing talk about
The Healing Powers of Creativity and The Courage to Follow Your Dreams
to a live audience of 8K and 1.6M+ youth and educators live-streamed across North America. A micro clip of RUN WILD was shared with all, and in-person attendees were invited to join Roxanna in a break out session for deeper engagement.
RUN WILD confronts wounds we carry from childhood and struggles between generations. I believe cinema can be both a mirror and a balm.
The campaign is designed to amplify the film's message, spark dialogue, and mobilize action around personal and inter-generatioinal healing.
My estranged father spent most of his life in the grip of addiction. In his last 22 years, he worked The Steps and fought for every second of his healing. Sobriety was fragile, as was our relationship. As an only child, I chose to be there at the end. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t about closure. It was about my ability to show up on my own terms and to honor the notion that it’s ok to let go - in your own way, on your own time.
We all have a story to tell and experiences to heal. I invite audiences into a space of reflection, empathy, and emotional truth through participating in tailored initiatives designed with care for:
• Film Festival & Public Engagement
• Educational & Therapeutic Settings
• Advocacy & Support Organizations
• Arts & Healing Communities
• Men's Mental Health & Fatherhood
Let us know the needs of your organization to create an event together. Safe, comforting & full of hope.
The Wound & The Wisdom
“This film is for the child who waited to be seen, heard, and held. We carry our wounds, but we also carry the wisdom to heal. This story is a quiet revolution: a call to remember, to feel, and to reclaim what was lost.”
~ Roxanna Lewis
Healing the Father Wound
“RUN WILD speaks to the silent grief many men carry—those grappling with emotional disconnection, the pressure to be suppress vulnerability, and the longing to be understood. This film offers a mirror and a path: to feel, to reflect, and to begin healing the father wound.”
~ Roxanna Lewis
We value the work you do and happy to adapt our services to meet your budget.
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS
Contribute via From The Heart Productions 501(c)3
Please make check donations payable to:
From the Heart Productions
*Write RUN WILD on the memo line
Mail checks to:
From the Heart Productions
1013 Harbor Blvd., #53
Oxnard, CA 93035
For questions, please contact info@fromtheheartproductions.com
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