Calendar – Past Event

Q&A with director Aron Gaudet and producer Gita Pullapilly; Co-presented by Camden International Film Festival and POV

Selected by the SXSW and True/False film festivals, THE WAY WE GET BY takes us inside a small airport in Bangor, Maine, where nearly one million U.S. soldiers have been sent off and welcomed home from war. A group of senior citizens play their part as citizens by greeting soldiers as they depart and arrive. The film shows how these handshakes can change a person's life.

THE WAY WE GET BY follows three seniors, Bill Knight, Joan Gaudet, and Jerry Mundy as they battle with the critical issues common to the nation's ever-growing aging population. Through their candid and moving stories, viewers are provided with a truthful look at what millions of Americans are facing across the country.

One theme explored throughout the film is the emotional losses that come with growing old. Whether it's the loss of a spouse or a child, the loss of identity after retirement, or the loss of youth, each comes with life-altering consequences. We take a raw and intimate look at our three character's lives outside the airport, revealing their own personal losses that led them to troop greeting. On the surface, it looks like the endless trips to the airport provide an escape for them. But as the story progresses, we learn the airport is where they find the inspiration to confront their issues at home and the strength to overcome them.

Co-presented by the Camden International Film Festival and POV.

Visit the film's website: www.thewaywegetbymovie.com

Director: Aron Gaudet
Running time: 84 minutes
Release date: 2008
April 28, 2009 8:00 pm