Fly By Light

Fly By Light is a compelling 2015 American documentary film directed by Ellie Walton and produced by Hawah Kasat. The film primarily focuses on four teenagers hailing from Washington, D.C., one of the challenging and violent corners of the United States. The lives of the main characters, William, Rosalee, Asha, and Clifton, intersect through a remarkable transformative journey assisted by two inspirational mentors Hawah and Minista Jazz.

Asha Gardner, the protagonist of the film, is a young aspiring writer struggling with the loss of her best friend to violence. Despite the shocking tragedy, her passionate resilience propels her journey towards healing and self-discovery. It is through her eyes that the viewers engage with the brutal realities and harsh environments that these young lives have to navigate daily.

Playing themselves are Hawah, an educator and artist, and Minista Jazz, a violence-interrupter, who act as two leading mentors in the documentary. Hawah owns One Common Unity, a non-profit organization that works on issues related to breaking cycles of violence and producing a safer, healthier community. His established linkages with high schools in the district enable an “Fly By Light” program, a unique, high-quality out-of-school time intervention for low-income youth residing in underserved areas. Hawah encourages the youth to find peace, purpose, and power within themselves and passionately asks everyone to embrace non-violence.

Minista Jazz keeps herself busy in the violent streets of Washington D.C., dedicating her life to helping the violence-stricken youth escape their brutal environment by offering them care, guidance, and motivation. Together, Hawah and Minista guide the four teenagers through a powerful, subjective, transformative journey that challenges and alters their lives, underscoring the healing power of creative expression, love, and understanding.

The film unfolds as the four teenagers leave their familiar surroundings of the tough neighborhood and embark on an eight-day life-changing journey to the serene environment of West Virginia. This immersive retreat substitutes their everyday survival struggles with solidarity, introspection, and emotional education. The remote and sequestered location is juxtaposed with the turbulent streets of Washington, conveying the evocative and immersive alterity of the participants' everyday reality.

Throughout Fly By Light, we see these characters grapple with their pasts colored by violence, grief, dysfunctional family units, and societal pressures, and how they respond to the process of self-growth and realization. The audience witnesses their transformation through the lens of empathy, resilience, and hope. A critical point of the journey is the night hike, where each teenager is left alone in the dark woods to conquer their fears and face their inner demons. It highlights the poignant mélange of fear, catharsis, and introspection, which forms an integral part of their transformation.

The documentary underscores the insurmountable pressure of growing up amid violence and systemic racism, and yet provides a beacon of hope that change is possible. The director-flavored realism and rawness with inspiring bouts of compassion, resilience, and self-empowerment were successful in narrating a delicate narrative about the healing power of art and unity.

Fly By Light is not just a documentary but a movement, a case for extensive reform in America's education system underscoring the importance of emotional skills curriculum. The film reiterates the transformative power of self-reflection, emotional intelligence, and empathy, which are as important as traditional academia.

The cinematography by Ernesto Abreu enlivens the keen sensibilities of the characters, painting a poignant picture of their lives, aspirations, and personal victories. The film's beautiful score and soul-stirring soundtracks add another layer to the narrative, making it an emotionally charged viewing experience.

In a nutshell, Fly By Light is an inspiring and heartfelt documentary, a cinematic peer into a lesser-known world brimming with human resilience, transformation, and hope. It’s an intimate portrait of adversity and redemption where the viewer witnesses the poignant metamorphosis of four ordinary teenagers evolving into extraordinary individuals. The human spirit's indomitable resilience echoes in every frame of this inspiring and captivating film.