A Symphony of Hope

In the wake of the catastrophic 2010 Haitian earthquake, composer Christopher Lennertz, inspired by his friendship with Hands Together founders Father Tom Hagan and Doug Campbell, thought to use music to reignite hope. Starting with a Haitian folk theme, Lennertz enlisted 25 award-winning Hollywood composers to create a symphony, writing sections sequentially, like a musical chain-letter. With composers of such films as Jurassic Park 3, Wonder Boys and Passion of the Christ, the music of live studio sessions is woven into a whole piece by filmmaker Brian Weidling, incorporating documentary footage of Haiti from its revolutionary beginnings, to the disaster, then its aftermath as Haitians rebuild their homes, and finally, a future of hope. Full of humanity, A Symphony of Hope confirms the importance of art, music and culture to reconstruct a country in crisis and affirms that the world is built stronger by people working hand in hand. (Woodstock Film Festival)