We Have Once Chance at Life with Rebecca Danigelis, Star of the Award-Nominated Documentary Film, Duty Free
The number of older adults that are experiencing ageism is growing and most often in the workplace. The film Duty Free is facilitating important conversations, addressing care concerns, and driving movement to end ageism and financial insecurity.
Duty Free explores claiming who we are, ageism, the complexities of work, the power of having an advocate, and social impact. The film also looks at the decisions that we have to make as women. It was emotional for me to watch as I saw and connected to the struggle of wanting to do right by our family and work. When we strip our work away we ask ourselves, "Who am I, what do I want to do and how do I want to spend my time"?
This is a beautiful heartfelt story. We invest so much time and energy in our jobs and careers only to find out that the same investment is not often valued in return as we age. As Rebecca says, "Do not let your work define you". This film continues the call to empower older workers, support caregivers and fight against ageism- We've got a lot of work to do, but this is a good start. Please take the time to watch and enjoy the film, Duty Free. I loved every minute of it. Thank you, Rebecca, for the visit- you are a bright light and I loved learning from you!
Rebecca shares about:
The powerful themes that are present in the film. Claiming who we are, ageism, power of relationships, and social impact
The clues that work was treating Rebecca differently and understanding ageism
The importance of meeting people and getting to know them to dispel those preconceived thoughts about older workers
How people all over the world have reached out and shared their similar stories, how Duty Free gave them hope and a voice
How we all need an advocate- for Rebecca it was her son, Sian-Pierre
Her thoughts on the bucket list adventure and stories from her adventures
The movement happening in the government to support caregivers and older adults
What the future holds for Rebecca and the Duty Free film
About Rebecca Danigelis & Duty Free Film
"Rebecca Danigelis is the 80 year-old star of the critically acclaimed and award-nominated documentary Duty Free. After being fired from her long-time career as a hotel housekeeper at the age of 75, Danigelis has become an activist against ageism in both workplaces and communities. The upbeat mother of three uses her lived experience to educate employers and employees on the values of being age-inclusive, underlining the essentiality of including age in DEI initiatives. As a speaker, Danigelis has the ability to connect with audiences internationally.
Since Duty Free’s premiere, she has inspired thousands via notable live discussions with organizations including AARP, World Health Organization, National Council on Aging, SouthArts, American Society on Aging, Cirkel, and more."
About the film, Duty Free: "Ageism and Financial Insecurity in America are pervasive. Older folks are invisible in their communities, workplaces, and, sometimes, within their own families. An estimated 25 million won’t have enough money to get through retirement age.
Duty Free examines ageism, the care crisis, and economic insecurity in America. Who will care for and support our moms and dads? Our grandmothers and our grandfathers? Who will support us as we age? Watch our film, raise these questions in your own community, and together let’s point to solutions that work for all generations."
About Sian-Pierre Regis: "Sian-Pierre Regis is a filmmaker who directed, produced and self-distributed his debut feature documentary Duty Free. Released in 30 theaters over Mother's Day 2021, Duty Free was a press magnet garnering coverage from CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, MSNBC, The Tamron Hall Show, AARP; the film was also a #1 Apple News story through the weekend. It is nominated for a prestigious IDA award in the Writing category.
Prior to filmmaking, Regis was a journalist and on-camera contributor to CNN, HLN, MTV and founded Swagger, an online lifestyle magazine for millennials with over 1.5 million fans.
In 2018, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Colgate University."
Watch the film HERE!
For more information about the Duty Free film visit https://www.dutyfreefilm.com/
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