From Place to Place—Interview with Documentary Producer Matt Anderson (Part Two)

The feature documentary From Place to Place follows two youth who age out of foster care and then set out to change the system that raised them. (The trailer can be seen on the film’s website.) We spoke to the producer, Matt Anderson.

This is the second part of a two-part interview. Read the first part.

National CASA: How is this documentary different from other films about youth in foster care?

Matt Anderson: One of our goals with this film was to give audiences the ability to connect with this experience: what it feels like to be an emancipated youth. We know what the statistics are: these kids are prone to drug use, prone to criminal behavior, and they have higher rates of homelessness and incarceration. But what does that really look like? What does that really feel like for a kid? As professionals and as members of the community, we need to not turn a blind eye to those experiences. We need to know what’s really happening so we really know what’s at stake for these kids while they’re still in care. I think that’s one of the primary differences between this film and anything else that’s ever been done.

The other main difference is that we wanted to talk about solutions. In the film, two of the youth, Raif and Mandy, get the opportunity to go to Washington, DC, and meet with members of Congress. They have the opportunity to present to the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth and then participate in a roundtable discussion about some of the challenges they’ve seen. The second half of the film is the inspiring story of these two kids really having an opportunity to be heard and to speak their hearts and minds to an influential audience.

Mandy and Raif presenting to the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth

From that first session, the Caucus then held a series of discussions that culminated in the release of the Call to Action, a comprehensive child welfare reform document.

National CASA: How would you describe the emotional tone of this movie? Is it bleak, or are there signs of hope?

Anderson: Ultimately, it is a hopeful movie. It does give a pretty gritty glimpse into the reality of the 25,000 kids who age out every year. But at the same time, when you watch Mandy and Raif sharing their story with members of Congress, you see the impact it has on them and on their audience. And I think you really get the sense that we can make a difference. In the film, Becky Shipp [Health Policy Advisor, US Senate Committee on Finance] says, “25,000 people a year is a large number. But it isn’t insurmountable.” This is a problem that we can fix.

National CASA: You worked with Paige Williams, a documentary filmmaker from Montana. How did she contribute to the making of this film?

Anderson: Paige has a unique talent for honing in on the essence of a story and reaching an audience’s heart. That’s been the key to this film—to have someone who can crack that story and present it for the audience.

Kevin Campbell, youth permanency expert; Matt Anderson, producer; Paige Williams, director; Mandy and Raif

Without her abilities and her vision, this wouldn’t be the same film and it wouldn’t have the same impact. This isn’t a story about six kids in Montana. This is a film about six kids who represent the twelve million Americans who have been in foster care. That’s the story we were really trying to tell.

National CASA: Have you been working with CASA programs to promote the film?

Anderson: We’re doing several screenings with local CASA programs. CASA of Orange County is hosting a community forum and screening as a training opportunity for their volunteers, and I’ll be there presenting the film. Afterward, I’ll be on a panel with foster youth from Orange County.

Visit the From Place to Place website to see the full schedule of screenings. You can also watch the trailer, purchase your own copies and learn more about the making of the film at their website.