Documentary team visits Sumter County

From Staff Reports

AMERICUS — When Los Angeles-based film director Steve Zukerman first heard about Millard Fuller, he was visiting his family in Indianapolis, Ind., and meeting with one of his father's associates, Jeff Cardwell who is a board member of the Americus-based Fuller Center for Housing.

Cardwell began to tell Zukerman about the Fuller Center and about its founder Millard Fuller, also the founder of Habitat for Humanity International.

“I was completely captivated by this man who had made such a huge impact in the world and had such a dramatic story with his wife Linda,” says Zukerman.

Zukerman arrived in Americus this past weekend, along with freelance cameraman Chad Adair who lives in Asheville, N.C., with his family. They are interviewing people who knew Fuller, including Fuller's wife Linda Fuller, his children, Habitat volunteers and many others. The Fullers have been residents of Americus and Sumter County since 1968. Longtime friend and Habitat for Humanity supporter President Jimmy Carter also provided an interview for the project.

The documentary team will travel on to the cities of Montgomery, Lanett and Eufaula, Ala., this week, tracing Millard Fuller's life from boyhood to his business years. “Fuller grew up in a small community in Alabama raising pigs and within a relatively short amount of time became a millionaire,” reflects Zukerman. “The amazing thing is that Fuller and his wife decided to give all that money away and begin a life of service that led to the building of homes for more than a million people.”

Zukerman has worked in the film industry in Los Angeles the past 13 years, working on programs such as NBC's "America's Got Talent" and ABC's "The Secret Millionaire." He says the Fuller documentary is an especially meaningful project.

"So often films are only created as a form of entertainment, a way to give people an escape from the difficulties of their daily lives, and that's great. But with a film of this nature, we have an opportunity to speak directly to people in a way that can inspire real social change.”

Zukerman says that the Fullers inspired countless people around the world to join their mission during their 30-plus year crusade that continues to this day through Habitat for Humanity and The Fuller Center for Housing.

“All of the great things he did are still moving forward,” Zukerman said. “He has made such a positive impact on so many people, and our hope is that this film will inspire a new generation to step up and work together to not only better their own community, but also the world around them. As Millard said ‘It’s not your blue blood, your pedigree or your college degree. It’s what you do with your life that counts.’"

The documentary is currently titled “One Moment: One Million Lives.” You can watch the movie trailer and learn more about the project at www.MillardFullerMovie.com.

The documentary is an independent production of Steve Zukerman and his production company Soapbox Media Group. The film is being funded by donations and is scheduled to be completed by September of this year.

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