A Student Supports Adoption Through an Original Movie, “Kennedy Hill”

Although Jennifer respects her grandmother's decision not to search for her birth parents, she can’t help but wonder how it might have gone had her grandmother decided to search.

Jennifer Joelle Kachler is a student at the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. She is working on her thesis for her Master’s of Art in Film and chose to write, produce, and direct a film about adoption.

Jennifer’s grandmother grew up in the early 1900s in Maine. Jennifer considers her grandmother her best friend. She was adopted in 1925. She didn’t know she was adopted until she was six 6, when a young neighborhood child “spilled the beans.” It was a closed adoption, and her grandmother never had the desire to search for her birth parents. Although Jennifer respects that decision, she can’t help but wonder how it might have gone for her grandmother had she decided to search. Thus, Jennifer’s film, “Kennedy Hill,” was born. The film takes place in the 1930s, and the heroine is created in the likeness of Jennifer’s grandmother—but with one big difference: She has a longing to know. The movie takes us through her search—not only finding out who, but also the all-important why.

At completion, this short film will be 20 minutes long and is intended to bring awareness to adoption. Jennifer hopes that through the creation of her film, she will be able to make a difference, both educationally and monetarily. Her plan is to donate to a local adoption organization.

With 50% of her film crew being students, Jennifer still needs to raise the funds to pay for the other 50% of cast and crew. There are expected to be nine filming days. Those who would like to support Jennifer with her Kickstarter may do so here. If you want to learn more about the film, you can like the film’s Facebook page, follow the process of the film on Instagram, or go to Jennifer’s website.

For Jennifer, ancestry is an important part of knowing who she is. With the love and respect she has for her family, their lives, and all it took to give her life, she supports those who want to know more about their heritage.