Kristy Adams screens documentary for APU students last Friday.Photo credit: Kimberly Smith
Khristi Adams is at it again. After authoring her first book last semester, this month she released her second documentary, which focuses on APU student George Ramirez’s testimony, his struggle with cerebral palsy and his life with a foster family.
Adams, a campus pastor, hosted a screening of the documentary Friday, Jan. 24 in the Cougar Dome for APU students, and nearly 60 of Ramirez’s friends and peers filled the seats.
“Although it’s my story and where I come from, people are going to have their own opinion. There is still a lot that people don’t know about me,” Ramirez said.
Adams first screened the film at Ramirez’s home church, led by former APU Campus Pastor Coba Canales, who also appears in the film, explaining how he met Ramirez and how they became such good friends while Caneles was working for APU as a campus pastor.
“George was around Coba a lot, so we had an opportunity to get to know him on a surface level,” Adams said. “The one thing that stood out is George is always pleasant, joyful and makes himself available. I was curious to see what was underneath all that.”
Adams said she went into the filming process knowing very little about Ramirez, wanting to hear his full story for the first time as she filmed, to experience his story the same as an audience would.
Adams’ name was not credited or mentioned in the promotions for the screening.
“I wanted it to showcase George; that’s why my name wasn’t on the chapel slides. I wanted to show George, and only George, his extended family at church and here at APU,” Adams said.
“A Narrow Road” is very different from Adams’ first film, “Chivalry is Dead.” The documentary focuses on Ramirez and his life story, instead of showing interviews with various individuals.
“I want to do the most authentic stories. I sought after the most extreme of men on purpose [in “Chivalry is Dead”]; I thought George was just as real of a human being. So many people have experienced so much, it served as a reminder for me to not just assume things about people,” Adams said.
After the screening, a panel made up of three of the filmmakers answered questions about Ramirez and the documentary.
Adams said she looks to share the documentary with the APU campus again soon.
“I hope people would be encouraged, not because of my story, but because of God. I hope someone would find the strength to keep going, to keep pushing,” Ramirez said. “I know it’s hard sometimes to see some light at the end of the tunnel, but keep going.”
Ramirez said he got through challenges and hard times by trusting in God and his friends, who encouraged and supported him.
“You just have to really pursue God in what you do in life,” he said. “It’s not always easy but you know He’s in control when you give yourself to Hxim.”