A LETTER FROM DIRECTOR JOSH LEONG

“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt.

In 2018, I traveled to Ethiopia on a missions trip. During one of our visits to a boys government orphanage, I befriended an unforgettable 16-year-old boy named Abel. After spending several days with him, sharing in his life, dreams, and fears, I was inspired to write a story about what he would be facing in his future. Like millions of other orphans, Abel will graduate his orphanage at age 18, leave his younger brother behind, and live on the streets. 

Right now, on the other side of the world, five million Ethiopians between the ages of 0-18 remain orphaned. Children are being forced to trade cots in overburdened government facilities for ditches on the side of the road. Street kids range from pickpockets to prostitutes; trapped in a relentless cycle resulting in the children of orphans also becoming orphans. 

When I was granted the opportunity to return to Ethiopia, I knew I wanted to tell a story that proved these children were real. They’re just like us - sharing the same laughter, the same tears, the same sense of brotherhood. So returning in July 2019, this time with a crew, we filmed in the same orphanages I first visited in 2018. I had the opportunity to reunite with the real Abel, and several children from the orphanage even slated and set designed for The Other Side during production. 

This film required faith to do things that seemed impossible. From local casting to funding to scouting locations from abroad – we often had to trust for provision in areas where we could see no way forward. I want people to know about this issue. I want people to watch these characters until they can’t ignore the reality behind them. I want parents to think of their children. I want students to raise awareness. I want the financially blessed to support initiatives like Orphan Care Ethiopia. But ultimately, I want to dedicate this film to the children we’ll never forget, 7,000 miles away. Their plight is real, and their need is urgent.

To those who gave us a cup of coffee, a place to sit, and memories to cherish.