Director: Judy Irola
Producer: Judy Irola
Writer: none
Genre: documentary
Country: USA/Niger
Duration: 75 min
Original Format: HD
Leading Actress:
Leading Actor:
Photography: Robert Potter
Art Direction:
Editing: Robert Potter

Synopsis of the Film: In the summer of 1996 a group of 65 idealistic Peace Corps volunteers headed for Africa and landed in the dusty, heat-scorched desert of Niger, where we stayed for two years, working in agriculture, digging wells and starting health clinics for women and their babies. In 2008 five of us returned to Niger to revisit the country, see our old friends and witness how our work has improved the lives of the people in Niger. The documentary explores the culture shock of re-entry into the US in the turmoil of 1968 and how our experiences in Africa influenced our future work. This is our collective story.

Bio-filmography of the Director: Judy Irola Producer/Director

After serving two years in the Peace Corps in Niger, Africa (1966-68) Irola returned to San Francisco where she went to work for KQED-TV in their documentary film unit. She has worked as a cinematographer for over 30 years and her films have won numerous awards. Her first feature Northern Lights won the Camera d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1979. In 1993 An Ambush of Ghosts garnered her the Cinematography Award, Dramatic Competition, at the Sundance Film Festival. She has photographed 17 independent feature films and more than 40 documentaries throughout the world. In 2003 Irola began producing and directing. Her first documentary Cine Manifest (2006) received numerous prizes at international film festivals and is in distribution. She is a Professor and holds the Conrad Hall Chair in Cinematography (endowed by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg) at USC's School of Cinematic Arts.