Belton, TX – The Andru Anderson, Assistant Professor of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, worked on his documentary Turn Left Now: Surviving the Unbelievable for years. Those efforts were recognized by an international film festival, when jury for the 17th International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films gave him its Grand Prix Award.
“I almost fell out of my bed,” Anderson said of receiving the news via a phone call. “I was overwhelmed by that.”
Anderson’s film was among 130 judged by the festival jury, who selected from a pool of 1,896 submissions. Turn Left Now follows the story of five young stroke victims as they work to recover and reclaim a sense of normalcy in their lives.
Anderson served as the film’s producer, director, cinematographer, and even did the first edit. His hands on approach meant that he was able to produce his movie on his terms and for a budget that he says was limited to the $70 he spent to have it the final product transcribed.
“My budget was pretty much just my time,” Anderson said. “That’s why it took so long to finish.”
While the film has only been seen by a handful of people to date, Anderson is looking forward to a special screening scheduled on Thursday, November 2, at 6:30 in the Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center. This will be the first time Anderson will have the chance to experience his film with an audience.
“It’s really overcoming adversity,” Anderson said. “Working on this project and watching this group of people take on disabilities, including the temporary loss of a limb or the ability to talk has really helped grow my appreciation for the human spirit.”
The 17th International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films was held in Varna, Bulgaria under the patronage of Vice President Iliana Iotova. More than 200 films from 49 countries were presented. The festival featured international competition in three categories, Red Cross/Red Crescent Films, Documentaries, and Feature Films. Awards were given to films from Europe, America, Asia, and Australia.
