Voices of Grief: The Film and the Organization

Our Mission

Restore compassion, forgiveness, and loving kindness in our culture’s grief process by preparing individuals with the tools to address grief.

Documentary

We have completed the film, capturing both Pikes Peak area locals sharing their personal stories, as well as nationally renowned experts offering their insight.  This has been edited down to a compelling 42-minute film presenting the information in a cohesive, story + solutions-based approach.

VOG experts

 

Recognition

  • Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce’s Nonprofit of the Year.
  • Charleston International Film Festival – Best Documentary, Audience Choice Award.
  • Hudson Valley International Film Festival –Best Documentary Short Nominee.
  • Official film festival selection: American Psychological Association Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival, Lyons Film Festival.

Meet the Film Team

Deb Collins

Deb Collins

Producer, Director and Editor

Deb Collins, award-winning filmmaker and author, has over 20 years of film/video/multimedia production experience. She is the founder and owner of her own multimedia company, Starinsky Studios, with clients such as internationally renowned motivational speakers Mark Victor Hansen (“Chicken Soup for the Soul”) and Tony Robbins. She contributes her skills and talents in technology, visual communications and marketing to clients and projects world-wide.

Deb’s mission is to bring important messages to life by creating an emotional connection with her audience. Her background in technology, marketing, management and creative thinking fuels Deb’s business approach to film projects.

With a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas, Deb began her career in electronics technology design and marketing with IBM, Motorola, Data General, and INMOS Corporation. After founding a software development corporation, she was awarded several U.S. and International patents in learning technology.

Kathy Sparnins

Kathy Sparnins

Executive Producer

Kathy Sparnins holds a B.A in Psychology from Goddard College in Vermont, studied in the MSW Program at the University of South Carolina, and completed course work toward a Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling through Goddard College (in conjunction with the licensing agreements through NAAMFT).

Kathy’s professional life includes 45 years in direct services with families and young people. Over the past 20 years Kathy’s work has specifically centered on grief education and support for families suffering significant loss in both El Paso and Teller Counties.

While facilitating grief education and support groups, Kathy created a bereavement program for a local hospice and produced a film documentary “ Voices of Grief, Honoring the Sacred Journey” which premiered in Colorado Springs in 2016 to an audience of over 700 people. “Voices of Grief” was privileged to be screened at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. in 2017.

Lise Bennett

Lise Bennett

Writer, Assistant Director and Assistant Editor

Lise Bennett (Naugle) brings her experience as both a writer and a health care professional to the project. Lise received her BS in biology and humanistic studies and has a doctorate in naturopathic medicine.

She spent eleven years in private practice before specializing in research, writing, and education about stress and its effects on the body. Her goal as a doctor is to help people integrate the physical, emotional, and spiritual to support optimal wellness and vibrant living.

As a narrative writer, she has won the grand prize in a scene writing contest sponsored by Showtime, was a winner in the Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition with her script, Crossing the Line, and was a finalist in both The Moondance International Film Festival and The Latino Screenplay Competition with En el Nombre de Dios.

Her goal as a writer is to tell stories that matter in ways that move. She brings her understanding of story craft, organization, and the mind-body connection to the production and is enjoying cutting her teeth in directing.

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