Queen of Everything You See
This remarkable and joyful story is told and filmed by fourteen-year-old Holly James over a one year period in her small, northern California, coastal town. Though Holly began this project only days after being released from an eleven month treatment of surgeries, radiation, and chemo for brain cancer, this film is not about cancer. It is about life. With humor and charm, Holly shows us how to see the importance of family, the value of close friendship, and to see the beauty that can be found – for herself and for all of us – in everyday moments.
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Holly JamesDirector
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Alex Harris - co-directorDirector
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Joel Wanek - co-directorDirectorSun Song - 2013
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Alex HarrisProducer
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Holly JamesKey Cast
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Alex HarrisEditors
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Joel WanekEditorsSun Song - 2013
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Holly JamesCamera
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Saundra JamesCamera
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Project Type:Documentary, Short
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Runtime:18 minutes 8 seconds
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Completion Date:July 6, 2016
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Production Budget:30,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Kasseler DokfestKassel
Germany
November 13, 2016
World Premiere
Distribution Information
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Self-Distributed
Hello! My name is Holly James. I live with my mom and dad, Saundra and William, and my older brother, Connor in a little town on a peninsula called Manila, in Humboldt County, California. I am currently a sophomore in high school. I enjoy the regular teenager stuff like making art, biking, and being around my friends and family. I love learning, although I don't have a true favorite subject. If I had to choose, English has always been one of my favorite classes, and I greatly enjoy stories of any kind: books, television, movies, and theater.
Making this film was a chance to tell my own story. I was diagnosed with Pineoblastoma (a cancerous brain tumor) at the end of my seventh grade year, and immediately began treatment, which included multiple brain surgeries, six weeks of radiation, and six months of chemotherapy. I began shooting video for this project as an eighth grader and was declared cancer free in time to graduate from eighth grade!
I am extremely thankful to have been able to make this film, and hopeful it will be seen by others who might enjoy it and possibly benefit from my story. I would like to thank all of the people who have supported me throughout my life, this project, and anyone who has chosen to watch this film. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.