Kathleen and Eddie

12/19 Update: Our Indiegogo campaign has ended and thanks to your last-minute efforts we managed to raise a total of $6626, or 66% of our fundraising goal.  If you arrived here past our Indiegogo deadline you can still help us by clicking here and making a tax-deductible donation.  Also make sure to like us on Facebook to keep up with current updates on the film.  Thanks for all your support!

12/15 Update! We are within 52% of our goal!  I know we are still reeling from the shock of yesterday’s tragedy in Connecticut. This is why I believe that projects like this film are so important. We need more stories like Kathleen’s—to find a way to transform senseless acts of violence into hope and healing to create a safer world. Please take a look above at this two-minute clip—a conversation between Kathleen and her good friend John B. Castro, convicted of murdering his stepfather and imprisoned for 21 years. He speaks about how getting to know Kathleen and others like her transformed his vision of the world.  

12/12/12 Update! we have a 1-minute montage sequence from our shoot in Berlin that we just edited for you, please go to the gallery section to view.

You can also watch our original pitch video in the gallery section for a personal message from the filmmakers and to see excerpts from the film. And if you like anthropomorphizing pets have we got the video for you, also in our gallery!

Kathleen and Eddie's Story

What drives someone to befriend the people that killed her brother?  In 1985, fifteen-year old Kathleen lost her only brother Eddie, an American soldier stationed in Wiesbaden, West Germany. He had been killed by members of the Red Army Faction, a left-wing German terrorist group. Now, twenty-seven years after Eddie's death, Kathleen travels to Germany in an effort to meet the women convicted of his murder.

KATHLEEN AND EDDIE is a feature-length documentary charting one womanʼs journey to transform the violence of her brotherʼs murder into a compassionate encounter with those who killed him.

Director's Statement

I went to high school with Kathleen and was one of her closest friends when her brother Eddie was murdered. Upon graduating, I lost touch with Kathleen, but I never stopped trying to find her. Twenty years later, we reconnected. After such a long gap in our friendship, getting to know the adult Kathleen has been a gift and a privilege. During our reacquaintance, she talked about Eddie. I had forgotten about this awful episode in my friend's life. As she spoke, I realized how much Kathleen's unique perspective on peace and justice had been shaped by the circumstances of his death. As a filmmaker I knew immediately that I needed to document her journey.

As a Filipina immigrant growing up in the same working-class enclave of Queens, New York, I empathize with Eddie. He joined the army right out of high school to escape a dead-end life, and I’m struck by the irony of his death at the hands of college-educated European terrorists. How did a poor Latino kid become the target of an organization devoted to socialist revolution?

The film so far 

We began filming in early 2011.  We followed Kathleen to Chicago, Portland, and New York City, and the footage we've accumulated will be edited to paint a picture of Kathleen's life in the United States as she works towards her goal of getting to Germany.  So far we have managed to pay for production costs out of our own pockets, and many of our supporters have donated valuable time, in-kind services, and some cash to keep us going.

We just returned from our first trip to Germany where we filmed Kathleen as she pursues her goal to meet the people responsible for her brother's death.  Thanks to our producer in Germany, Nils Bökamp of Bökamp@Kriegsheim and our talented DP (Director of Photography), Alex Fuchs, we had a very successful shoot. We filmed a really important interview and conversation between Kathleen and Carl Christian von Braunmuehl, whose brother Gerold was killed by the RAF a year after Eddie's murder. Now comes the hard part of culling through many hours of footage to start editing a rough cut.

What your tax-deductible contribution will pay for

FAQ

When is the deadline for your campaign?

Dec 16th, 2012

What if I want to support the film but can’t donate at this time?

We welcome any kind of support and you can help us a great deal by spreading the word. Here is how you can do this:

1. Tell everyone you know about Kathleen and Eddie and ask them to watch our trailer.

2. Encourage people to check out our Indiegogo page, where they can find out more about the film and our campaign. 

3. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and tell everyone you know to do the same!

When will I receive my perk?

We will make it available to you as soon as possible! Estimated delivery times are posted under each perk. 

I have more questions, how can I contact you?

Please feel free to email us at info@kathleenandeddie.net