1.       How did you first come across Angela’s story, and what compelled you to document it?

Angela contacted me after I had graduated from USC’s Film School – she had seen a sailing documentary I’d produced which played at her local yacht club. Angela sent me a message on Facebook asking if I would be interested in documenting her attempt to be the oldest woman and only paraplegic to row across the Pacific solo. At first I turned it down, or made it clear that I wasn’t far enough in my career to take on such an ambitious project. Angela’s unique personality and knack for luring people eventually convinced me… there was something so obviously special about her, and I was motivated to amplify a character I’d never seen on screen before.

2.       How much time did you spend with Angela’s family throughout the filmmaking process?

Angela and I worked together for just shy of one year before she left for her solo row. We documented all her preparation, training, and deeper reflections on her true motivations for this remarkable human feat. Her family, especially her life partner, Deb, has been intimately involved with the filmmaking process from start to finish as well.

3.       The documentary not only captures Angela’s journey but also the emotional toll on her loved ones. How did you approach telling both Angela’s and Deb’s perspectives?

Deb’s arc was revealed overtime — it was clear that Angela was always the star, but Deb, the quieter, behind-the-scenes, utterly devoted life partner played an equally essential role. As the story unraveled in real time, it was apparent that Deb was actually going through the biggest personal transformation in life, and leaning into how she coped and blossomed in that experience made for an exceptionally unique love story — one in which each partner is given the unconditional love and support to become who they truly are.

4.       Since Angela was at sea for long stretches, especially on her row from California to Hawaii, how did you manage to obtain footage from her journey? Did she send material via satellite daily, or was there another method?

Without giving too much away – as this is a major aspect of the plot – Angela was a totally autonomous filmer at sea. Her boat was rigged with almost 30 cameras, and we were utterly reliant on her making it to Hawaii to recuperate that footage. How we eventually got the footage was different than expected, but made for some extraordinary twists.

5.       How do you think Angela’s story can change other people’s perspectives about living with disabilities the way she even changed her own?

Angela had a mantra: Disability is not a death sentence — there is life after disability. She worked every day of her life to champion the overwhelming ABILITY people had. We hope this film helps recalibrate what people assume is possible, and we are grateful to be working closely with Angel City Sports, a non-profit focused on adaptive athletes achieving the extraordinary.