Growing Bolder has produced countless inspirational, aspirational and motivational stories over the last two decades. We’ve seen stories of triumph and tribulation, obstacles overcome, new heights reached and magical moments that last a lifetime.
With so many worthy selections to consider, the task of creating a Growing Bolder Film Fest was a difficult one. At Growing Bolder Day, 2023, live audiences at the Center for Health and Wellbeing in Winter Park, Fl, had the opportunity to learn from seven of our most worthy short films that make a big impact on our view of the world. You can watch all of the full stories below:
Banana George
This is a tense tale of determination; a celebration of passion and the human spirit. 93-year-old Banana George Blair, weak from a long battle with pneumonia and in constant pain from six back surgeries, wanted to get his bare feet back on the water. Come along for this Growing Bolder exclusive as Banana battled back.
Joey Molland
On Bolder Backstage, we feature stories on the rockstars and musicians who became the soundtrack to our lives. In many cases, they’ve experienced the highest of highs, and when their popularity wanes, the lowest of lows. But one band stands apart as the most sad and tragic band of all time.
Do you remember Badfinger? They were hand-picked by The Beatles to sign with Apple records. They even sounded like the Beatles. They had big hits like “Come and Get It,” but eventually, they fall hard.
They were ripped off by their manager so bad that they were broke. Two of the band members took their own lives. But not the guitar player. The last surviving member, Joey Molland, who shows us that sometimes, life is all about our challenges, and how we deal with them.
Julia Hawkins
This is a film about an accomplishment that has inspired people worldwide. It happened at the Louisiana State Senior Games where, at the age of 105, Julia Hawkins was determined to become the oldest woman to ever compete in a sanctioned track & field event. We started at her house, where she lives alone and told me her quest was two-fold: collecting magic moments for herself and delivering inspiration to others.
Conquering Kilimanjaro
Mountains have become apt metaphors for life’s challenges. Which is why our friend and former colleague Wendy Chioji, decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest freestanding mountain with a group of cancer survivors. They wanted to send a message of hope to the more than 32 million cancer survivors worldwide. When Growing Bolder’s Marc Middleton heard about it, he had to tag along and bring a video camera to share their example with the world.
Virginia Ferrigno
When Virginia Ferrigno’s husband, Bill, died, she wondered if her life was over, too. For 61 years, he was her everything. Anyone who’s suffered the loss of a spouse knows all too well how painful it is. Virginia offers an optimistic lesson on what it takes to go on.
Harold Rotenberg
At 104, Harold Rotenberg was still in love with life, still in love with his wife, and still in love with his art. And he was not alone. Major museums and art collectors worldwide coveted his work and still do today. Come along for an exclusive look inside the life of artist Harold Rotenberg, a renowned artist who passed away in 2011 at the age of 105.
Romancing the Road
Over the years, We’ve produced hundreds of shows and thousands of stories. Deciding what to show at our Growing Bolder Film fest, what to cut down to fit in a 30-minute program, wasn’t easy. But there was one story that we decided had to be shown, what is probably our most watched story ever. It was viewed more than 11 million times in a matter of weeks. And it all started when we noticed a little lady driving a little old car.
