This was a particularly special honor for the short film.
When I was growing up, my parents had KPIX San Francisco on cable. Each year the program choose individuals they thought were doing particularly meaningful public good and honor them with a Jefferson Award. It's a prominent honor in public service.
The Jefferson Award was founded by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr., and Samuel Beard in 1972. The honor has been going on for over 50 years and this year was the final 'class'. KPIX will keep it going under another name.
Many incredible people have held this award, Oprah, Jimmy Carter, and hundreds more. My name does not belong on that list. I was a fish out of water to be sitting next to people who had very literally saved lives. One winner this year is a woman that started a breast milk bank in the 70's and was responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of children. As proud as I am of the impact the short film has had, no comparison should ever be made!
The Jefferson is not a competition, it's a recognition of the varying ways people serve something greater than themselves. For me, Under the Lights is much greater than me.
We've reached a point where 'UTL' isn't really a movie anymore. It's a movement. I've been floored by the amount of people who have confronted me stating they 'came out' with their condition because of the film, changed career paths, told a story of their own or even just used it as an icebreaker. These messages are in my inbox daily.
The fan art is a conversation by itself.
I also don't really feel that the film is solely mine - I simply get to be it's director. The film has taken me on so many adventures and taught me the meaning of service. It's gifted me meaning and purpose in my life.
To me the award is emblematic of how much the film has meant to people, and what it symbolizes for them. 'UTL' sends a signal that we are starting to stand up, say something, and promise that a better future is coming. Being a small part of that message has been more validating to me than any compliment I've ever received.
The Jefferson means a lot to me, but I feel like it belongs to the greater community that made Under the Lights more than a film. Ultimately people have decided on their own to make it really matter.
I titled this 'Under the Lights Wins a Jefferson Award', because it feels uncomfortable to take credit. The film was made with a team, and belongs to the world.
I was never really interested in talking about epilepsy, certainly not as publicly as this, but doing so has eliminated the feeling that my condition has been a net loss.
Thank you to the KPIX team and Multiplying Good for the honor, and for the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California for nominating me.
-Miles
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