Private Project

Present Moment

PRESENT MOMENT is a collaborative film project documenting a family negotiating the realities of a longterm, degenerative illness. The film is a celebration of living life well, despite whatever health challenges one might face: our protagonist's wisdom, honesty and courage inspires the viewer while reminding them of their own innate resiliency.

  • Aimie Vallat
    Director
  • Noah Dassel
    Director
  • Aimie Vallat
    Writer
  • Noah Dassel
    Writer
  • Aimie Vallat
    Producer
  • Gary Vallat
    Key Cast
  • Rubye Vallat
    Key Cast
  • Noah Dassel
    Director of Photography
  • Noah Dassel
    Editor
  • John Davidson
    Colorist
  • Hilarie Sander
    Legal Services
  • Drew Emory
    Story Advisor
  • Andrea Langsdorf
    Story Advisor
  • Victory Studios
    DVD/Blu Ray Production
  • Chris Auger
    Additional Editing
  • Talin Phillips
    Additional Editing
  • Puddle of Infinity
    Music
  • Gentle Fire Studios
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Aging, Parkinson's Disease, Meditation, Mindfulness, Singing, health, Wellness
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 1, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 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:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Tacoma Film Festival
    Tacoma, WA
    October 13, 2015
  • Tumbleweed Film Festival
    Oroville, WA
    August 1, 2015
  • Ellensburg Film Festival
    Ellensburg, WA
    October 3, 2015
  • HOPE Conference - presented by Northwest Parkinsons Foundation
    Bellevue, WA
    September 26, 2015
  • Neptune Theater - opened for Capturing Grace Documentary
    Seattle, WA
    November 8, 2015
  • Healing Circles - Community Event
    Langley, WA
    June 23, 2015
  • Rainier Independent Film Festival
    Ashford, WA
    United States
    May 14, 2016
    Best Short Documentary
  • Audience Favorite at Tumbleweed Film Festival
  • Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
    Sunderland
    United Kingdom
    June 30, 2016
    Special Jury Award - Documentary
  • HollyShorts Film Festival
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    August 15, 2016
    California
  • Star Film Festival
    Sisak
    Croatia
    September 1, 2016
    Croatia
  • Columbia Gorge International Film Festival
    Big Bear, CA
    United States
    September 23, 2016
  • European Short Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    October 5, 2016
    German Premiere
  • Gig Harbor Film Festival
    Gig Harbor, WA
    United States
    October 21, 2016
  • I Imagine Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    October 3, 2016
  • PiGrecoZen Film Fest
    Ancona
    Italy
    November 5, 2016
    Italian Premiere
    Best Documentary
  • Reel Health International Short Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    November 16, 2016
    Australia Premiere
    Finalist
  • Barcelona Planet Film Festival
    Barcelona
    Spain
    November 1, 2016
    Nominee Best Short Documentary
  • Awareness Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 13, 2016
  • Canada Shorts Film Festival
    New Brunswick
    Canada
    December 10, 2016
    Canadian Premiere
    Finalist
  • Impact DOCS Awards

    United States
    December 15, 2016
  • Equality International Film Festival
    Sacramento
    United States
    December 10, 2016
  • California International Shorts Festival
    Encino
    United States
    December 17, 2016
  • Ethnografilm Festival
    Paris
    France
    April 11, 2017
  • Impact Docs Awards

    United States
    February 1, 2017
    Award of Merit Special Mention: Documentary Short
  • Docs Without Borders
    Nassau
    United States
    May 8, 2017
  • Reykjavik Visions Film Festival
    Reykjavik
    Iceland
    May 1, 2017
  • Long Beach Indie International Film Festival
    Long Beach
    United States
    August 30, 2017
Director Biography - Aimie Vallat, Noah Dassel

For the past twenty years, I have worked in both the non-profit and documentary film sectors. I have focused on issues of sustainability, social and environmental justice, refugee stories and building thriving communities. My passion as a storyteller is to create advocacy videos about important social change issues while inspiring action and galvanizing change.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

PRESENT MOMENT began with the simple idea of documenting and sharing my father’s courageous approach to Parkinson’s. What emerged was a transformative experience: an anguishing topic once too unbearable to discuss in our family, took front and center through the brave and cathartic process of storytelling. My understanding of the disease deepened, as my relationships to it and around it evolved through the filmmaking process. I hope our film's essence resonates with a thought-provoking, healing and poetic message for viewers.