James Ragan documentary surpasses base Kickstarter goal, raises $83,797
The Kickstarter campaign for “Until 20,” a documentary about late Rice University student James Ragan, who passed away earlier this year in February after a seven-year battle with osteosarcoma, exceeded its $50,000 goal, ultimately making $83,797 of its stretch goal of $100,000.
“We raised [$50,000] in five days on Kickstarter; it was unbelievable,” co-director Jamila Paksima Rowell said. “Our stretch goal was [$100,000] because we had more post-production expenses to make the film. We have other fundraising efforts, but we were really thrilled to exceed the $50,000.”
Rowell said she and her co-director, Geraldine Moriba Meadows, had to peel back the layers to get a true sense of who Ragan, a member of Duncan College, was.
“After someone dies, they become more of an icon,” Rowell said. “I think, just like any good filmmaker, it’s [about] relationship-building, and then people are more honest and upfront about who he was. Even James, at the beginning, was very strong. He didn’t want to show us his fears, because he’s known for being a total optimist. But he also had some [fears] and sadness. It’s about time, trust and making good decisions and trying to find people who are willing to be honest in their interviews.”
According to Rowell, the more she and Meadows spent time with Ragan and his family, the closer they got to what she said she thinks their life was like when they were not there with cameras.
“[The film] is better than I think any of us expected,” Rowell said. “We knew the subject is super hard: It’s about somebody dying. It can really turn you off. But there is some lightness in it, there’s some fun it, because he’s likeable –– he’s funny –– and some of the people around him don’t treat him like he’s fragile.”
Rowell said the film includes a little bit of everything about Ragan’s life, including his competitive side on the golf course.
“’He has a group of guys that he golfs with, and they’re all these older men,” Rowell said. “We spent some time with them too. They really sort of showed us a different side of James. As a young adult, he loved golf, he loved gambling. He was not the nicest guy when he was competing on the golf course. He was competitive. We got to see some of that –– that was good.”
Rowell said she has a two-fold reaction to the film, on the one hand identifying with what the film teaches about being the parent of a child with cancer and, on the other, Ragan’s optimism.
“I think his story is amazing, but what I love about our film is that, to me, I feel like it’s a film about how to be a parent in this situation,” Rowell said. “How would you love your child, care for them, give them what they need, fight the system, fight for his life? I do love how optimistic James is, despite how much was flung at him, and how tough his life was, and that he didn’t allow any of it to hold him back from his dreams and what he wanted to accomplish.”
Rowell said Ragan had a spirit of excellence.
“Like his mom said, he really wasn’t a naturally-gifted athlete,” Rowell said. “He worked really hard at being good, both at tennis in the beginning and then at golf. He would put crazy hours into it. It didn’t matter that he’d had multiple surgeries and was on chemo –– he decided to go to college and still take treatments up until the last month of his life. A lot of people wouldn’t do that.”
Duncan College senior and friend of Ragan Naveen Manisundaram said he feels the Kickstarter’s success is a testament to how many people Ragan touched throughout his life.
“In providing a close-up glimpse into James' battle against his cancer, this film will show that James was always positive and trying to help others,” Manisundaram said. “Even when James was in pain, whether it be due to his cancer or the accompanying chemotherapy treatments, he always displayed a positive outlook and cared very much about how everyone else was doing.”
Donations in support of the film "Until 20" are currently being accepted at until20.com
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