All the Empty Rooms Documentary

As filmmakers who’ve just come off watching Hollywood celebrate Oscar’s night, we are reminded of the power of the visual image. Not only the power of what is seen onscreen but of the often equal impact of what is not on the screen. Netflix’s “All the Empty Rooms” took a well-deserved Oscar for Best Short Documentary and it felt like a win for us, even though we didn’t have any direct involvement in this project. The power of this deeply moving film comes from what (or more precisely, who) is not present as producer, on-camera narrator and CBS “feel good guy” correspondent Steve Hartman visits the homes and bedrooms of children who’ve fallen victim to mass gun violence in this country. We see neatly made beds, happy pictures on cluttered dressers, toys, backpacks, a pile of folded clothes, a neat line of tennis shoes, videos of hugs with friends and precious but ordinary moments at family and school events. But mostly what haunts you is the ache of absence, the vacuumlike emptiness of bedrooms that serve as shrines to the lives of slain children and sanctuaries to survivors who struggle with losses no family can ever really come to terms with.

We believed that all children should be able to attend their schools and walk their communities, free from the fear of gun violence. At Will You Hear Me Now, we know the power of media and feel we’ve identified a gap in the social media landscape. That gap is an opportunity for passionate young advocates to articulate their fears and concerns as well as their aspirations for the future they wish to see.

Young people who’ve never really experienced gun violence still feel deeply about it and have much to say, because they know all too well from the nightly news and the infinite scroll of social media that no school or community is truly safe from the specter of mass shootings. As our organization has grown, we’ve also expanded our outreach to members of the survivors’ communities who speak for young people who can no longer speak for themselves, people who’ve faced the unimaginable trauma of loss to gun death and injury, the trauma of empty rooms and lives forever shattered.

Sadly it’s sometimes only through loss that we understand how precious a gift a life is. We humbly and soberly acknowledge the message of “All the Empty Rooms,” a film we respect for the clarity and impact of its message. A film, we all wish never had to be made.

To learn more about our work with young people who seek a greater role in advocating for mental health outreach, gun violence harm reduction and personal safety, drop us a line at info@willyouhearmenow.org.