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Sky Blossom
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRichard Lui
Produced by
CinematographyEliana Alvarez Martinez
Edited by
  • Bret Sigler
  • Zara Serabian Arthur
Music byMaria Lineva
Production
company
Sky Blossom Films
Distributed byUniversal Pictures Home Entertainment (DVD & Digital)
Release dates
  • October 29, 2020 (2020-10-29) (LA Asian Pacific Film Fest)[1]
  • November 11, 2020 (2020-11-11)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.1 million (USD)[2]

Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Richard Lui which profiles five students across the United States who are caregivers for their disabled military veteran parents or grandparents. Variety magazine named the film as a shortlist contender for the 2021 Oscars, and also qualified for that year's awards.[3] The film was the most widely distributed documentary of 2021.[4] It won the "Feature Film" category of the 72nd Christopher Awards.[5]

The documentary was released in theaters nationwide for one night only through a community partnership of AMC Theatres and Universal Pictures.[6] The film premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with a drive-in theater event on Veterans Day 2020.[7][8] The film was later broadcast on MSNBC in May 2021.[9]

Synopsis

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Five families are profiled in the film, each with a student providing care for a veteran parent or grandparent with disabilities. The film refers to these students as the "Next Greatest Generation."[10]

  • Allen Family (McMinnville, Tennessee): High school cheerleader Deryn Allen has been helping her father, Chaz, an Army veteran who lost his legs after stepping on a bomb, put on his prosthetics since she was eight years old.
  • Alvarado Family (Long Beach, California): 12-year-old Rhianna Alvarado defends her dad from bullies, who give him "ugly stares" due to his appearance, the result of exposure to burn pits.
  • Grier Family (Wexford, Pennsylvania): Air Force veteran Bobby Grier, an aging civil rights icon, is cared for by his granddaughter, Camille, and his son, Rob Jr. Rob opens up about the strain caring for his parents put on his marriage and on his role as a father.
  • Kapanui Family (Waimea, Hawaii): Brother and sister Kaleo and Kamaile have put their college studies on hold to look after their grandfather, Bobby, a veteran with dementia. Their grandfather is the only family they have left.
  • Ploof Family (Howell, Michigan): 22-year-old Jenna Ploof is the primary breadwinner for her family, balancing her college studies and job with caring for her younger sister and father, Bill, an amputee who has suffered several strokes. While she was in high school, Jenna and her family briefly experienced homelessness when Bill's amputation prevented him from continuing to work as a truck driver.

The film's title is inspired by a World War II era term for paratroopers coming to aid of the wounded on the ground.[11]

Production

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The film was shot over four years.[12] The film is inspired by Director Richard Lui's personal experience as a caregiver for his father with Alzheimer's. Lui, an MSNBC news anchor, flew between his work in New York City and his father's home in San Francisco several times a month to help care for his father.[6]

The film is executive produced by television personality Montel Williams, actor David Hyde Pierce, Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Jack Jacobs, Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation CEO Linda Hope, and documentarian Jean Tsien.[13]

Style

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The film blends fly-on-the-wall cinema verité with animation, archival video, and interviews conducted by the producers with each of the five families. The animated scenes, drawn by former Disney animator Davy Liu, show scenes of the children's heroism in caring for family members. Composer Maria Lineva wrote original leitmotifs for each of the five families to provide a unique musical sound for each family. The score was performed by a 48-person orchestra made up of students from the Berklee College of Music.[14]

Response

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The film is supported by a bipartisan group of Members of the United States Congress, led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.[6] Other lawmakers supporting the film include Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Susan Collins, and Senator Tammy Duckworth.[15]

The film was nominated for "Best Documentary" at the AARP The Magazine 2021 Movies for Grownups Awards.[16] The film also won the Founders Choice Award at the GI Film Festival.[17]

Release

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The film was released on DVD and Digital by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on May 25, 2021.[18][4] Later that week, the film was broadcast on MSNBC, with 374,000 viewers watching the 9pm broadcast.[19] Sky Blossom began streaming on Peacock in July 2021.[20]

The film's original soundtrack, composed by Maria Lineva and performed by the Berklee College of Music Contemporary Symphony Orchestra, was released by NBCUniversal's Back Lot Music, and was qualified for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Sky Blossom". Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  2. ^ https://skyblossom.com/content/media/Sky-Blossom-Press-Kit.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ Davis, Clayton (November 19, 2020). "Oscars Predictions: Best Documentary Feature – 'Dick Johnson' Is NOT Dead in the Race". Variety. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Films, Sky Blossom. "Walmart, AMC Theatres, and NBCUniversal Team-Up for Community Effort". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  5. ^ Christophers, The. "72nd Annual Christopher Award Winners Celebrate Courage, Faith, And Hope". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Lejeune, Tristan (November 10, 2020). "New doc from MSNBC's Richard Lui examines young Americans who care for disabled family members". TheHill. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  7. ^ "New documentary highlights young veteran caregivers of color". NBC News. November 11, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  8. ^ "A new film honors the young people who care for our nation's heroes who keep our nation safe". wusa9.com. November 11, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  9. ^ @msnbc (May 28, 2021). "From @MSNBC anchor @RichardLui comes "Sky Blossom…" (Tweet). Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2023 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "The Next Greatest Generation". palabra. November 11, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  11. ^ Gima, Craig (November 20, 2020). "The Hawaii Herald - Hawaii's Japanese American Journal". The Hawaii Herald. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  12. ^ "New documentary shows young people caring for veteran family members". www.kitv.com. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  13. ^ Films, Sky Blossom (November 27, 2020). "The Museum of Tolerance Hosts a Thanksgiving Family Event, An Exclusive Screening for the Film SKY BLOSSOM: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation". WFMZ.com. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  14. ^ Sky Blossom (2020) - IMDb, retrieved December 2, 2020
  15. ^ "Congressional Honorary Co-Chairs – Sky Blossom". skyblossom.com. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  16. ^ "2021 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Nominations List". The Hollywood Reporter. February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  17. ^ "Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation". 2021 GI Film Festival San Diego. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  18. ^ "Sky Blossom". www.uphe.com. March 26, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  19. ^ "Saturday, May 29 Scoreboard: Jeanine Pirro Takes Top Spot on Cable News". adweek.it. June 2, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  20. ^ Wilson, Bill (June 30, 2021). "New on Peacock: July 2021". Roku Blog.
  21. ^ "'Sky Blossom' Soundtrack Released | Film Music Reporter". Retrieved February 3, 2022.
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