Living Lights - The Story of Jess and Lillia
On May 23rd, 2018, the world experienced the loss of a 24 year old mother, Jessica Raubenolt, and her 21 month old daughter Lillia on Bayshore Blvd in Tampa, as the result of teenage street racing tragedy.
This documentary was created to share the inspirational life story of Kenston High graduate Jessica and Lillia, whose impact lives on in friends, family, NE Ohio and Tampa communities and and in organ recipients of Lillia (Liver and Kidneys) and Jessica (corneas).
In 2022 the J&L Foundation's Angels Beside Us team will participate in their 4th NE Ohio Lifebanc's 1 Mile walk/run and 5k. Living Lights includes interviews with 57 team members and is the filmmaker's first documentary.
-
Tim SchwanDirectorNone
-
Andrea SchwanDirectorNone
-
Andrea SchwanWriterNone
-
Tim SchwanWriterNone
-
Jessica RaubenoltKey CastNone
-
Lillia RaubenoltKey CastNone
-
Project Type:Documentary
-
Runtime:2 hours 13 minutes 2 seconds
-
Completion Date:May 21, 2021
-
Production Budget:15,000 USD
-
Country of Origin:United States
-
Country of Filming:United States
-
Language:English
-
Shooting Format:Digital
-
Aspect Ratio:16:9
-
Film Color:Color
-
First-time Filmmaker:Yes
-
Student Project:No
-
Private Screening - Chagrin Cinemas Movie TheaterChagrin Falls
United States
May 28, 2021
Premiere
N/A -
Private Screening - Chagrin Cinemas Movie TheaterChagrin Falls
United States
May 29, 2021
Premiere
N/A
Tim and Andrea Schwan are filmmakers from Tim’s hometown, Garrettsville, OH. They met through a wonderful customer at the coffee shop in town where Andrea worked who thought they would make a great couple. After spending the whole day together their first time meeting each other, they never stopped seeing one another. On their honeymoon, they began business planning to turn Tim’s recent photography business into a husband & wife wedding videography team. Thus was born “Barefoot Films.”
While their specialty is wedding videography, they are really passionate about using their cameras to tell any kind of story. They get really excited about the stories they get to tell that will have an impact on those who are watching. They truly believe that storytelling through film has the power to move people towards a positive change. This is their hope and mission when sharing every film that they create.
Outside of filming, they really enjoy traveling (preferably by their tandem bicycle), experiencing new cultures, exploring through hiking, running, and biking; and being invested and involved in their community and church.
When Jessica’s father, Bob, came to us at the beginning of 2020 asking if we could help him create this vision he and Jessica’s husband, David, had of preserving and honoring the memory of these two beautiful lives that were tragically lost two years prior, it was the perfect timing. Usually at the start of the year, we would be gearing up for wedding season, since our specialty is wedding videography. Because of COVID, however, wedding numbers were down and we were able to focus the time and attention we wouldn’t normally have on these films for the Reisinger and Raubenolt family. Not only that, but this project filled in the gaps of the business we would have lost due to COVID. It was a great blessing to us.
Unfortunately, we did not get to meet Jessica and Lillia before they passed. But, hearing stories from the 57 people we interviewed, going through old photos and videos, and hearing about how much of an impact they had on the people around them made us feel like we really got to know them. Throughout all these interviews, there was an undeniable common thread: Each person, without knowing what others were saying, unanimously said that Jessica and Lillia were positive lights in this world and that the way they cared for people and loved life made their example of living so beautiful and powerful.
We both feel extremely honored at having been given the privilege of gathering all of these beautiful memories and testimonies and putting them together. Spending a year immersed in the project impacted us in a big way to live differently–selflessly, in the way Jessica and Lillia demonstrated by their lives. We know that anyone who watches this film will be impacted in a similar way. This is why we decided to title the film “Living Lights.” It’s the consistent theme we heard throughout the people in their lives who got to witness and will now continue to reflect the light Jessica and Lillia emulated. We hope that it enlightens you to do the same.