My Toxic Backyard Wins Best Documentary Film at Greenpoint Film Festival

My Toxic Backyard just won the highest honor a film can win at a film festival: Best Documentary Feature!  I'm so excited!  What an honor!

http://greenpointfilmfestival.org/

Jaime Byrd (second from the left) speaking on a panel at the Greenpoint Film Festival

A news article about the festival

News article continuted

I Sold My House

My house was so awesome and I had such a great experience living there, but I hated the commute to work.  Some people will probably laugh at the 20 minute drive I had to make, but that drive is a constant in my life and I don't like it.  I want to bike to work, so I'm moving into an apartment that's only 1 mile from my job.  Instead of spending 40 minutes a day, 3 hours a week, 173 hours a year driving to work and back, I'll be spending 30 minutes a day getting a good work out, doing something good for the environment and actually enjoying my mornings and evenings as I come and go from work.  I know selling a perfectly good house seems like an extreme thing to do, but to me it makes perfect sense.  Goodbye house by the trains.  Hello daily bike ride!

 

Second Parent

Adoption law is supposed to be based on the best interests of the child.  I made this short film when I discovered an issue a lot of gay couples must face when trying to adopt a child.  While many states will allow gay couples to adopt children, they will only do so if one person out of that couple adopts as a single parent.  In the eyes of the law, that second parent is not recognized.  What if the adopting parent looses their job and benefits and that second parent ends up wanting to put their child on their health insurance?  What happens if the child has to be hospitalized while the adopting parent is out of town?  What happens if the adopting parent dies? 

http://youtu.be/g8xhVKEQZ90
A lot of talented Asheville folks helped make this movie possible working in front of the camera and behind the scenes.  Thank you for your support and for giving your time to help make this short film happen.

Katie

Poster Designed by: Anthony Abraira http://anthonyabraira.com

Winner Best Filmmaker in WNC!!!

Thank you to everyone who voted for me as best filmmaker for 2014 in the Mountain Express Best of and also My Toxic Backyard for best film of the year!  Wow! I'm so happy for the attention this brings to the community living around the CTS site and long fight they have had for safe drinking water. I'm so honored!

Katie

http://bestofwnc.com/category/arts-entertainment/locally-made-film/
http://bestofwnc.com/category/arts-entertainment/local-filmmaker/