If a crime is committed in order to prevent a greater crime, is it forgivable? Is it, in fact, necessary? The Reluctant Radical follows activist Ken Ward as he confronts his fears and puts himself in the direct path of the fossil fuel industry to combat climate change. The film reveals both the personal costs and also the fulfillment that comes from following one’s moral calling- even if that means breaking the law. The film follows Ken through a series of direct actions, culminating with an action that shuts down all the U.S. tar sands oil pipelines and threatens to put him behind bars for 20 years. Ken Ward has no regrets, and his certainty leaves the audience to consider if he is out of touch with reality, or if it is the rest of society that is delusional for not acting when faced with the unsettling evidence that we are collectively destroying our world.
I am a bold, heart-centered Independent Filmmaker. I cofounded Evergrain Studios, an intentional creative studio harnessing the power of character-driven stories to bridge perspectives and create impact. Our current projects include stories centered on disability, women’s rights, mental performance, and local portraits of our community in Virginia. My work has been licensed by Netflix and Delta Airlines and utilized in campaigns for Google, MLB, Toyota, and Basketball Hall of Fame, among others. I am most proud of the impact our projects have on real humans. Serving as the Director, DP, and Editor for our first independent film THE REBOUND, our team received 8 awards among 20+ film festivals including the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award, Best Documentary, Audience Choice Award, Best Cinematography, Best Directing, and more. It has been enjoyed at over 120+ U.S. and international screenings, premiered on NETFLIX (2019), is being utilized as a tool in academic research studies at James Madison University, and is currently featured on Delta Airlines (2020). I graduated cum laude from JMU with a degree in Media Arts & Design with a Digital Video & Cinema focus and minors in Film Studies and Anthropology. I was born and raised in a rural town outside of Charlottesville.
