THE STORY
Narrative Short, 13 minutes, Drama
WHILE AWAITING THE RESULTS OF HIS MOTHER’S US VISA RENEWAL REQUEST, A TEENAGE IMMIGRANT FINDS HIMSELF AT A CROSSROADS BETWEEN HOLDING ONTO THE PROMISE OF OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA AND EMBRACING THE LIFE HE LEFT BEHIND IN UGANDA.
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The Night I Left America follows the story of a teenage boy named Kyamagero who, from a very young age, became enraptured with the American Dream. He always hoped he would one day move there with his family and make a make a better life, and perhaps, even a name for himself.
Years later, Kyamagero finds himself living with his mother in a ramshackle trailer in the middle of “nowhere” Texas. It wasn’t the life he imagined for himself but, for him, it was better than the life of struggle he perceived he and his family had had before.
But with the threat of his mother’s work visa not renewing, Kyamagero finds himself at a crossroads; wanting to hold onto the promise of opportunity set before him in America or learning to embrace the life he left behind in Uganda?
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OFFICIAL SELECTIONS/AWARDS
HollyShorts *** Best Score, Best Producer // SCAD Savannah Film Festival *** Best Short, Shorts Spotlight: This American Life // Offline Film Festival *** Audience Award, Best Short Film // Filmocracy Fest *** Audience Award, Best Short Film // Montreal International Black Film Festival *** Special Mention // Cordillera International Film Festival *** Audience Award, Best Family Film // Monmouth Film Festival *** Jury Award, Best Short Film // LA Shorts Fest // Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival // Aesthetica International Short Film Festival //Cleveland International Film Festival // Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival // Filmfest Dresden // Bermuda International Film Festival // Ashland Independent Film Festival // BronzeLens Film Festival // Dublin International Film Festival // Athens International Film Festival // Indy Film Fest // Helsinki International Film Festival // Vancouver International Film Festival // Offline Film Festival // Chicago International Children's Film Festival // Stony Brook Film Festival // San Luis Obispo International Film Festival // Exit 6 Film Festival // Sharjah International Film Festival For Children & Youth // Edmonton Short Film Festival // Julien Dubuque International Film Festival // Maryland Film Festival // San Francisco Greek Film Festival // Pittsburgh Shorts // BUFF International Film Festival // Athens International Children's Film Festival // New York International Children's Film Festival // I Will Tell International Film Festival // Olympia International Children's Film Festival // Children's Film Festival Seattle
FILM STILLS
PRESS KIT
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“I would have never imagined that driving a bus for a traveling Ugandan children's choir in 2019 would have led to such a vibrant endeavor. What began as a lesson in filmmaking for some of the kids interested in the craft, eventually grew into a SHORT film much BIGGER that any of us could have imagined.
The Night I Left America is my own love letter to a culture and people that are near and dear to my heart. My greatest hope is that the message contained within this humble tale will shine a beautiful light on the wonderful place they call home.
Regardless of an awards this film has bestowed upon it, the long-lasting impact that this project has had on the kids involved is the biggest accolade I could wish for.”
— LAKI KARAVIAS, Director
BEHIND THE STORY
It all started when…
…I was asked by a friend, somewhat jokingly, if I wanted to put my directorial aspirations in L.A. of hold to be a driver for a Ugandan children’s choir during their U.S. tour. While working on a project in Uganda a few months prior, I had met all the kids and leaders of the choir and could not imagine a better group of humans to hit the road with. So… I took the leap.
AN UNEXPECTED CREW
The next 6 months were some of the most memorable months of my life. While on the road, we all shared so many amazing experiences and I can easily say my family grew 25 strong because of our time together.
While traveling down the west coast, my love for film started rearing its head. Some of the choir kids started showing a strong interest in learning what it takes to make a film and before any of us knew it, we were all crammed into a ramshackle trailer in the middle of “nowhere Texas,” shooting our first dialogue scene between Chamagello and his mother.
MOVIE MAGIC
After we all witnessed the bit of magic that was captured there, we knew there was a bigger story to tell. We began dreaming of what we could make together and that simple dinner dialogue scene soon became a full blown production with the choir kids and leaders making up the entire cast and crew.
Although it was not originally planned on, our story would eventually lead us back to the very village in Uganda where the choir was from.
FILMMAKERS IN THE MAKING
Upon assembling a rough edit of the film, we held a fundraiser in Portland, Oregon and flew the primary cast and crew over for a private screening of the film. After the film, we surprised the kids with $10k worth of camera gear for them to take back to Uganda to continue to tell their own stories.
In just one year, they have written, shot and edited their own short film, have produced music videos for local artists and have been contracted to create videos for a couple local humanitarian organizations.
Several of the kids are now set on and working hard towards a future career in filmmaking.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Laki Karavias is a Greek-American filmmaker, currently dividing his time between Europe and the Pacific Northwest.
Because much of his childhood and post graduate work has been abroad, he is drawn to characters, settings, and experiences that take viewers beyond American boundaries and into the lives of some of the extraordinary people he has met during his travels.
After studying scriptwriting and directing at the National Film and Television School (UK) and the Prague Film School, Laki began crafting on paper the narratives he’d hope to see one day on the big screen—stories mixing gravitas and whimsy, while maintaining a human core.
He has has received awards including the Oscar qualifying Grand Prize for Documentary Short at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, a Family Choice Award, an ARFF Globe Award, Reggie Gold and other film awards. His work has been featured on Upworthy, Forbes, Vox, Ad Week, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Christianity Today.
When not making films, Laki looks for opportunities to pursue his passion for adolescent film education, particularly for youth living in underserved communities and economically fragile contexts both locally and abroad.
FILMOGRAPHY
“MESSANIA’S STORY” 2020. Documentary Short. Oscar Qualifying.
“QUI JE SUIS” 2018. Narrative Short.
“35 YEARS TO THE MOON” 2016. Narrative Short
THE CAST
KYAMAGERO / Erick Kiyega
Erick was born and raised in the village of Busega, Uganda, where he lives with his mother and older sister.
When not studying hard in school or helping his mother tend to the grocery shop they run from the front of their home, Erick takes any and every opportunity to get lost in a good movie or television show.
As a child, it was not an uncommon occurrence for Erick to rally with kids in his village to write and perform little plays for their community. Watching how his embodiment of a character could bring joy to an audience has stuck with him to this day.
While playing the role of Kyamagero in The Night I Left America, Erick’s determination to pursue a career began to flourish and he is now convinced that his journey in film has only just begun.
MAMA KYAMA / Lydia Namagembe
Although this was her first time acting for film, Lydia is no stranger to performance.
After losing her parents as a young child, Lydia was raised and educated all the way through high school by the African Children’s Choir. During her time there, she danced her way through Africa, Europe, Asia and America with her fellow choir members.
During the filming of The Night I Left America, Lydia not only served as the choir director for the Bridge of Hope Africa Ministries Choir but graced the screen with her performance as Mama Kyamagero.
Today, Lydia works as a Community Development Director in Wakiso, Uganda and is committed to helping children in need and their families imagine and work towards a better future.
PAPA KYAMA / Henry Tumwesigye
Henry was raised and educated by the African Children’s Choir after losing his parents at a young age.
Growing up in similar circumstances, Henry always had a passion for helping the poor, the orphan, and street children. It was this passion that led him to establish the organization, Bridge of Hope Africa Ministries.
Early on, it was a dream to have a traveling choir where young people from his community could experience what brought him so much joy as a child.
Henry holds a Diploma in Journalism from the Uganda Institute of Business and Media Studies. In his spare time, Henry enjoys listening to music, watching soccer, reading the Bible, and eating lots of powdered donuts.
YOUNG KYAMA / Steven Kiyingi
Steven is the eldest of four children, where he lives with his parents in Wakiso, Uganda.
Being a part of the Bridge of Hope Africa Ministries Choir has helped Steven develop performance skills over the years and you can often find him front and center, entertaining a crowd with his charming smile and stellar dance moves.
Although Steven has a precocious and endlessly energetic temperament that would perhaps not normally mix with the rigor and repetition of screen acting, he was able snap effortlessly into character as soon as “action” was called.
Outside of his newfound passion for acting, Steven enjoys playing soccer and getting into a healthy amount of trouble with his friends.
CAST
Kyamagero / Erick Kiyega
MAMA Kyama / Lydia Namagembe
PAPA Kyama / Henry Tumwesigye
YOUNG Kyamagero / Steven Kiyingi
MARCUS TROMELL / Russ Lacey
CREW
WRITTEN & DIRECTED / Laki Karavias
PRODUCed by / Henry Tumwesigye, Katie Walter, Paula fairfield
SOUND MIXER / Eric Kabanda
1st AC / Ivan Ashimwe
PRODUCTION ASSIST / Diana Kisakye, Henry Sewante
STORY CONSULTATION / Lydia Namagembe, Griffin Magezi, Amanda Allquist
ORIGINAL SCORE / Brian Hall
ASSISTANT COMPOSER / JONAH RAMEY
MUSICAL PERFORMANCES / Bridge of Hope Africa Ministries Choir
SOUND DESIGN / PAULA FAIRFIELD, MPSE
RE-RECORDING MIX / GARY COPPOLA, CAS, Paula Fairfield
FOley Artist / Vincent Guisetti
VISUAL EFFECTS / JAPHY RIDDLE, ADAM SAGER
COLORIST / Darren Hartman
TRANSLATION / Dorothy Kazimoto
TECHNICAL DETAILS
INTERNATIONAL TITLE / The Night I Left America
DURATION / 13 minutes
ASPECT RATIO / 2.35
YEAR / 2021
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE / Luganda, English
COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION / Uganda, USA
DIRECTOR, Laki Karavias
hello@lakikaravias.com
WEBALE NYO!
“Thank you very much!”
