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About this project
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THE SUMMER HELP – A DOCUMENTARY
At their university in Eastern Europe, they are future politicians, bankers and journalists, but in America they are just “the help.” A new documentary directed/produced and filmed by Melody Gilbert (www.frozenfeetfilm.com)
WHAT IS THIS DOCUMENTARY ABOUT?
“The Summer Help” tells the story about international students – many from Eastern Europe – who descend upon America’s summer resorts to clean hotels rooms, wash dishes and do the jobs many Americans avoid. Who are they and why are they here? What will they find? Is America what they thought it would be? At their universities back home, they are future politicians, journalists and bankers, but in America they are just “the help.”
WHO AM I?
My name is Melody Gilbert and I have been making independent documentaries for 15 years (click here to see my website with links to trailers for all my films!). Some of you may know my films A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN (about 3 kids who can’t feel pain), or URBAN EXPLORERS: INTO THE DARKNESS (about people who go exploring places most people would never go) orWHOLE (about people who want to be an amputee). Or maybe you saw my very first film MARRIED AT THE MALL, about people who get married at the largest shopping mall in the U.S. or my film about the former Vice President of the United States under Jimmy Carter, FRITZ: THE WALTER MONDALE STORY. I have also been the producer of several award-winning documentaries, including recent film festival hit THE STARFISH THROWERS.
My new film, THE SUMMER HELP, will be my sixth feature-length film as a director/producer/cinematographer, but the first time doing a crowd funding campaign for my own film. I’m asking you- the people who know me as a filmmaker or are interested in this subject or maybe you just want to support true independent filmmaking- if you want to be part of my newest filmmaking journey!
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Melody Gilbert: This is Nikoleta from Bulgaria. As you head out for your Labor Day weekend, think about the people who are doing the work at the summer resorts all around the U.S. The people making your meals or cleaning your hotel room might be college students from Eastern Europe or the Balkans or Ukraine trying to pay their tuition and help their struggling families back home. That’s what The Summer Help documentary is about – the challenges faced by these students as they take their first plane ride and then adjust to life in America. At their university in Bulgaria they are future politicians, bankers and journalists. But in America, they are just „the help.“
Thanks so much for all your likes and shares! We now have just 5 days left for you to participate in the making of this documentary. Go here to read the story about why I am making this doc and to see a trailer and to contribute to helping me finish:
You can help me get to the finish line with this film like these folks did in the past 2 days! Yordan Zhechev, Adrian Danciu, Stoyan Iliev, Janet Outlaw, Joel Dresang, Tomas Peshkatari, Justin A. Szlasa, Mark Brunswick, Jeffrey Scherer , Laurie Hertzel, Jamie Meltzer, Amy von Walter, Sharyn Frank Sarner Chris and Kelsie Smith Snow, David Huwiler, and Deborah Benedict Venker. If YOU are thinking about a contribution, please don’t wait because we don’t get to keep the funds raised if we don’t reach our goal! So… thanks again to all of you who have already supported us in the past… to those of you who will in the future. This is an important story to be told, and I want to tell it, so thanks for being on this journey with me.
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Поздравления и успехи напред!
Everywhere they go (western countries), migrants from poor countries are generally accepted to do small jobs. But i think in USA it’s worse because of the green card system. In Bulgaria there is a US military base with US military presence.US doesn’t pay anything for deploying a base there /just to remind that we don’t have any conflict near Bulgaria except maybe the tension in Kosovo/ but Bulgarians are not allowed to go to the States nowadays. Yes, legally it is possible but even for visiting a friend or just for holidays Bulgarians are considered as a potential economic migrant (and e real challenge to go to the USA) But the US army in Bulgaria are considered by themselves like the Avengers. I really don’t get it…Where is social justice? It’s not embarassing to do all kind of jobs if you have to prouve your will to integrate yourself in a new country.It’s an experience, adaptibility, new skills. But there is a notion of share. Not just exploit. Just a remark: the students in Bulgaria are not considered as future politicians, bankers etc. beacuse of the high-levels’ corruption. They are skilled and qualified but the nomenklatura don’t give them a chance to do what they are prepared and willing to do. That is the main reason they leave Bulgaria.Sorry for my English. My practice is very occasional. Thank you and good luck for your documentary!