First-time director Paul Taylor talks about how his experience as a volunteer in South Africa formed the basis of an award-winning documentary
First-time director Paul Taylor talks about how his experience as a volunteer in South Africa formed the basis of an award-winning documentary
While studying filmmaking Paul Taylor traveled to South Africa as part of a volunteer program to work with children affected by the Aids crisis. He was stationed at an Agape Orphanage, where children who have lost their parents through the disease are helped. Bolstered by their collective strength, the community formed a choir. During the making of his film We Are Together, Taylor saw the start of their worldwide tour to raise awareness of Aids and poverty, and the release of a successful album. The film has picked up audience awards at many festivals for its inspiring, uplifting story centered on the spirited Moya children, and gained support from Bono, Kanye West and Alicia Keys. All profits from the release of the film are entering an education fund for the Agape children.
Do you have a filmmaking background, or was this simply a film borne out of you finding a good story?
I was a film student, at Bournemouth University. I went to South Africa after my first year on a volunteering program, and that's when I met the kids at Agape. I came back, carried on studying and wanted an excuse to go back out there. I saw there was potential in the story. I started scraping funds together to return the following summer and make the film.
With all the profits going into an educational fund for the Agape children, how did you get such experienced people involved in the project?
We got the footage and went round showing people what we had, and telling them about the project. People were very supportive; we got a lot of good deals from post production houses. Our main editor, Masahiro Hirakubo [who works frequently with Danny Boyle] was just at a good time in his career, looking for something interesting and challenging to take on.
Next page • "We wanted to touch people with this story"
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