Mike Moroz watched a young friend lose her battle with breast cancer because of a lack of awareness of the risks involved with the disease. He decided he needed to do something about that, so he wrote a film about her journey with the disease, called “Face The Sun.” He plans to donate 65% of the revenue from the film to cancer organizations. The more traffic he gets on his site, the more investors will hopefully invest to get the movie made. So visit the “Face The Sun” site right now, and then come back and read the moving interview I had with a very passionate and talented writer.
Love and Water- Talk about how you came to write the screenplay, “Face The Sun.”
Mike Moroz- A number of years ago a very close childhood friend of my wife was told when she was 29 that she had something on her breast that could lead to breast cancer, but to not worry about it because she was too young to get breast cancer and to come back when she was 40 for a mammogram. We lost Diane six years later at age 35 to breast cancer. I needed a way to respond to that. It was horrible that there was such lack of awareness for young women about the risks of breast cancer and I wanted to do something about that. So I wrote a screenplay about Diane’s story to illustrate the dangers of not being aware of the risks breast cancer can hold, and to celebrate her courage throughout her battle.
L&W- That’s such a wonderful tribute to her, and such a great example for other women to follow. Where are you in the process of making the film?
MM- We are in the process of getting full financial backing for it. We recently lost a large sum of the financial backing that would have allowed us to start shooting already, so we are working on getting that back in place. We have a cast and director, and are finished with most of the preproduction. Our plan is to donate a large portion of the revenue of the film to cancer organizations. I’m an actor and this is the first script I’ve written, but have written several scripts since then, two of which have been turned into films. I currently teach acting and filmmaking at a high school on Vancouver Island. I’m so excited to make this film in order to start giving back to those organizations that are working so hard to help people and families battling cancer.
L&W- What is the most important message you want to convey through the film?
MM- One is that what we’re trying to do is to generate some significant awareness for young people in particular, and people in general, about the need to be their own best health advocate. We know our bodies, and if something doesn’t feel right it is important that we advocate for ourselves. It’s important to get second and third opinions in order to give ourselves the service we deserve. Also, there is a real strength that is present in families that battle cancer. The journey is an astonishing one that gives a new perspective to daily life as a result. There is a need to celebrate that, which I know the film can help give to people as well. And of course there are the many grassroots cancer organizations that are working very hard every day to make alliances with cancer patients and their families a little bit easier, and they are often grossly underfunded. So we want to help them by donating a 65% of the revenue from “Face The Sun.”
L&W- That is such an amazing incentive for investors, I would think, since you are not out to make a profit on it yourself.
MM- It’s very true- the whole purpose of the film is to raise awareness and money that we can give back to help create more solid organizations that can offer resources for all cancer patients to take advantage of.
L&W- Is there anything else you want people to know about “Face The Sun?’
MM- I think it’s important for people to pay attention to how they are feeling, how their bodies are doing. I invite everyone to visit us on our website. The more traffic we have on our site the more potential investors will see the growing interest in the film, which is extremely helpful in perking their interest in funding it. When they a large audience in place, it makes them realize that the film will do well once it is made and out on the circuit, and that is what we want them to realize. 65% of the revenue will be going toward causes that support cancer, so we’re extremely excited to get the word out and build our audience now.
If you haven’t already, visit “Face The Sun” now!
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