Is it really possible to distance oneself from the physical realities of death and still enjoy the physical wonders of life? HF&W offers both a multilayered saga and a visually compelling non-fiction response to this question. The filmmaker found herself in the vortex of life's downside:2 cancer surgeries, partial employment, another birthday and the sudden death of a friend.She contemplated joining the circus but realized she had nothing to offer but everything to gain after a chance meeting with the National Circus Chaplain, Fr. Gerry. This turned out to be an emotional watershed for the filmmaker, a 'lapsed Catholic' who then sought solace in her faith. She wound up doing so in the most unusual places:amongst daredevil circus performeres, champion race car drivers and migrant workers on Nantucket Island. Approached from a Judeo-Christian angle but minus the religious overtones, the film explores the personal, cultural and spiritual ramifications of seeking respite from life's tragedies within the dysfunctional family of Church.

Forms: Documentary, Experimental, Narrative Fiction, Feature
Genres: Family, Religious, Magical Realism, Road Trip, Surreal
Niches: Christian, Hispanic, Latino, Third World