About Programs Industry Research Filmography Calendar Resources News and Press
Back to All Filmmakers

AIMM Production Partners:

Film Image: D bench 2.png

Dee at 82 during her Afro-Brazilian Dance Class

Length: 75-90min/ tbd

Filmmaker: Filmmaker Photo: BW_1459.JPG Claire Panke

Official Web Site
www.littleoneprods.com


Funder(s):
New York State Council on the Arts
http://www.nysca.org Newman's Own

Make a Donation
Donation Instructions

To make a donation to the Center for Independent Documentary, please visit this page.

Hide Instructions

No Brief Candle

Image: AnitaUN.JPG

celebrating the joy of creativity at any age

Film Description

No Brief Candle profiles three people infusing the Third Act of their lives with grace, creativity, and a knack for reinvention, tapping the potential that lies within us at any age.

For Paul (73), a portrait artist who started painting at age 51; Dee (85), a writer and dancer; and Anita (92), an actress, playwright and poet, the power of personal expression knows no age boundaries. Their stories reveal the complex tapestry of aging as they search out ways to contribute to their communities, and respond to the physical and emotional challenges of later life with creative, resilient attitudes.

The time is ripe for No Brief Candle. In the next 20 years the 65+ population will more than double, welcoming into its ranks 78 million baby boomers. This generation has reshaped every era they have passed through, and they want to know the good news about getting older (and there is good news!).

As we face this unprecedented global “age wave,� we need to shift our attitudes and images of older adults. With wisdom, humor, and a few surprises, No Brief Candle challenges our misconceptions about aging, focusing instead on renewal, continued contribution, and the power of creativity to enrich the art of living.

Harnessing the power of media, the film provides positive examples of later adulthood that celebrate the chance to grow as we grow older ~ helping to bridge the gap between surviving and thriving. As we offer new images, we can change attitudes, values, and behavior.

At its core, No Brief Candle is not just about what we do with the time we have left, but what we do with the time we have now, a message that will touch viewers with its revelation of continued meaning, renewal, and joy.

Biographies

After graduating from Georgetown University, where she was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship, Claire Marie Panke held several positions as a writer, editor, and photographer. She then earned a second degree in Nursing and specializes in newborn intensive care, working on a per diem basis along with her film and photography work.

Claire studied film at New York University, including documentary directing and producing, earning a Certificate in Film. She has worked on several independent productions, and has also produced and directed two short documentaries. Her first feature documentary, A Chance to Grow (listed on this site) followed three families in a newborn intensive care unit, and was broadcast on The Discovery Channel, National Geographic Television, and other international venues, and was awarded a CINE Golden Eagle.