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 Premier
Love and Hope International Film Festival, Barcelona, Spain.
Best American Short
Canada, USA, Central & South Americas
Best Director Short Film
Best Original Score
Short Film
A 70’s love-child endures a piercing life lesson during a rare weekend visitation with her addicted, estranged father recently released from prison.
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
- a microcosm of damaged people bringing a little girl into the world that they weren’t prepared to meet. It speaks to the young child still crouching inside each of us, especially those who have endured fallout from growing up in a home where addiction, violence and mental health issues prevailed. It’s a story about a neglectful father who edges on abuse, trying to love, and a young child who discovers her resilience.
Stepping into this project as a filmmaker, I entered a deeply personal and creatively restorative space – one that pushed me to my limits, stirred my fears, and transformed me from within. We chose to shoot on the Aaton XTERA Super 16mm to evoke the texture, nostalgia and emotional resonance of the 1970’s. My background is in dance, shaped entirely by the horse-blinders of dance conservatories, not film school. Working with celluloid felt like standing under a spotlight of truth, during some odd truth-telling ritual – every vulnerability, every flaw laid bare for scrutiny…and for celebration. I committed to the process, knowing it was both a way to let go of the past and to embrace a new version of myself.
Through the making of this film, I aim to pry open childhood secrets we carry over time ~ just long enough to remind us that we are not alone ~ that we are whole, powerful and safe to make new choices.
For every person who grew up too fast, who learned to shrink themselves to survive—this story is yours.
RUN WILD is a cinematic embrace for the child within, reminding us that healing isn’t linear, but it is possible.
- 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.
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.
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From the Heart Productions
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From the Heart Productions
1013 Harbor Blvd., #53
Oxnard, CA 93035
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