Parolee James Ruston, accompanied by a trio of classical music performers, eloquently and philosophically shares his life story and his epiphany as a prisoner, who was unexpectedly exposed to world-class musical presentations produced by Looking at the Stars Foundation (www.lookingatthestars.org) within the prison system.
James's life story is accompanied by stellar presentations of Brahms, Shostakovich, Faure, Britten, Pärt and Prokofiev, performed by a trio of outstanding Canadian performers that Looking at the Stars Foundation has worked with before - violinist Barry Shiffman, cellist Cameron Crozman and pianist Philip Chiu.
A very personal narrative, interspersed with full performances of best-in-class classical music presentations is a moving testament to the power of such music to deliver hope and dignity to those who might need it most and expect it least. The entire production was shot on location in Toronto, Canada.
Technically, the video production features sublime lighting and intimate camera work that draws the viewer into a personal experience with the Looking at the Stars project. We cannot help but feel how exposure to such compelling work can impact those whose liberty, dignity and prospects for the future are compromised by the dehumanizing effect of incarceration.
The passionate commitment of Executive Producer Dmitri Kanovich, Looking at the Stars Founder and CEO, and Director Henry Less, award-winning documentarian, inform every second of this extraordinary video project. The emotional power of this production should drive Looking at the Stars to even greater outcomes in their work going forward.