Robert Bilheimer is the director, writer, and producer for Worldwide Documentaries, Inc, a not-for-profit film production company he founded in 1989 with his partner, longtime colleague, and executive producer Heidi Ostertag. Robert has directed critically acclaimed films for over 30 years that focus—although not exclusively—on global human rights and social justice issues. In 1989, Robert was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary for Cry of Reason, a feature-length film that profiles the South African anti-apartheid leader Dr. Beyers Naudé. In 1992, Robert made the definitive film version of Nobel Laureate Samuel Beckett’s play Endgame, working from a script prepared especially by the author for the Smithsonian series Beckett Directs Beckett. Over the past fifteen years, two of Robert’s films—A Closer Walk, about the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, and Not My Life, about global human trafficking —have been seen by hundreds of millions of people across a broad set of global demographics, platforms, and networks, and remain the “go-to” films on their respective issues to this day. In 1996, Robert also directed I’m Still Here, about families whose sons and daughters suffer from serious mental illness, especially schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. 

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Robert’s latest film, Oh Mercy-Searching for Hope in the Promised Land was released in February 2021. Oh Mercy is a documentary film about the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from Central America who awaited court dates and immigration hearings in the US under the policy of Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) or “Remain in Mexico”—many for well over a year. Increasingly desperate and discouraged, they huddled in squalid camps and detention centers on both sides of the Rio Grande, which for several hundred miles serves as a natural border between Mexico and the United States. The film in one year, has been accessed through its website thousands of times, and is being used in educational and faith based settings; by advocacy groups; as well as by individuals wanting to learn more about current US immigration policies.

 

At 80, and a doting grandfather, Robert feels as though he is “just getting started.” He is now working on a follow up film to Oh Mercy, focusing on the global forced migration crisis, as it is

manifest on the U.S./Mexico border and - increasing and rapidly- in major population centers throughout the United States. This film Running To Stand Still — Migrants Search For Hope In The Promised Land, will be released in Fall 2024.

 

Robert was educated at the International School in Geneva, Switzerland; Hamilton College, where he received his B.A.; and Indiana University where he received his Master’s Degree in theatre and film. Before launching into his career as a documentary filmmaker, Robert worked as a freelance journalist, reporting for AFP and TIME from East and South Africa; as director in professional regional theatre, notably the Nairobi National Theatre; the Manitoba Theatre Center in Winnipeg; and the Rochester Shakespeare Theatre, which he founded. From 1968 – 1970, he also served a tour in the US Army, where he earned the Army commendation medal. Robert spends as much time as he can hiking the trails in the Finger Lakes area of upstate New York where he lives with his family and Golden Retrievers, Mia and Eli.

One would be hard-pressed, anywhere in the international documentary filmmaking community, to find a producer as respected, admired, and beloved as Heidi Ostertag. During her 38-year career at Worldwide Documentaries, she has established lasting personal and professional relationships with hundreds of individuals from all walks of life who are part of the documentary filmmaking process which she manages and oversees: funders, participants in, and subjects of, the films themselves; distribution partners, including NGOs and their staffs all over the world; production team members, advisors, consultants, board members…. The list goes on and on.

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Heidi is also a brilliant researcher, incredibly hard worker, and a deeply compassionate human being.  But perhaps the one thing everyone would say that best characterizes Worldwide’s Senior Producer: she is a person of enormous integrity and honesty, and you will always get a “good listen” from her, as well as a straight and thoughtful answer. It is difficult to overstate the contribution Heidi has made to Worldwide’s reputation and accomplishment over the years just by being the true professional she is. 

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In addition to her daily work responsibilities, Heidi has been married to Worldwide’s President and Director, Robert Bilheimer, for over 30 years, at times a challenge in and of itself!  But the family’s two Golden Retrievers, Eli and Mia, are a great distraction, as only goofy Goldens can be. She also finds renewal in the Adirondack mountains every chance she gets!

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Over the years as an Emmy nominated DOP/Cinematographer, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to experience situations that I would never have imagined possible. My work on films, national spots, high end corporate videos and documentaries has taken me to 6 continents, and over 50 countries; shooting on every format from 35mm Film to the Arri Amira, Arri Mini, RED & the Canon C500Mark II. From filming and lighting presidents, first ladies, dictators, and CEOS, to the ever "critical" Hollywood & Rock-n-Roll elite, I’ve learned how to adapt quickly to many situations and personalities. I’ve also filmed some of the worlds top athletes; travelling and filming in their home countries, to being on the field shooting a World Series or a Super Bowl. However, the love I have for filming human stories has not been limited to the famous. My work on documentaries has lead me into the gritty reality of of human trafficking and natural disasters, to people struggling with disease, drugs, and lack of education. I’ve been held at gunpoint in Sao Paulo with people demanding my footage (they didn't get it) and while in Uganda working having to watch helplessly as a baby died of AIDS as I rolled. I believe there is no substitute for experience, and this combined with my ability to work with both client and crew to get the images we need, allows me to bring a unique talent to any production.

 

https://bradenfilms.com/

Contact: craig@bradenfilms.com

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Verónica G. Cárdenas packs an enormous amount of artistic skill, energy, compassion and fearlessness as a documentary photographer whose young career has taken off like a rocket.  Based in the southernmost region of Texas known as the Rio Grande Valley, migration issues are a recurring theme in their work, which they explore with astonishing sensitivity and insight. Their work has been featured in publications including TIME, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Texas Tribune, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, Texas Observer, Reuters, Bloomberg, BuzzFeed News, and the San Antonio Express News. Cárdenas is an International Women’s Media Foundation Fellow, an Eddie Adams Workshop alumni, and is currently a mentee under the Women Photograph Mentorship Program. They are also a participant in the New York Times Portfolio Review. 

Along with Running Director Robert Bilheimer, one of Veronica’s favorite pastimes is taking naps.

 

veronicagabriela.com

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Jason Dickerson is an international award winning filmmaker with over 20 years of experience in broadcast, corporate, and documentary films. For the past 15 years, he has been dedicated
to working in the non-profit sector and lending his talents to causes that leave a lasting impact on the world. While working at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, he traveled around the globe to 5 different continents where he created films to help raise funds and advocate for those most in need. He is currently Manager of Video Production for Rochester Regional Health, where he creates a range of content but most enjoys the short-form documentaries that tell emotional patient stories of survival. 

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Carlos F. Corral is a Texas filmmaker with true grit. With more than 17 years of experience working on a variety of high-profile television, documentary and feature film productions, he is among the most prolific personalities in the Texas film scene. Known mostly as a location sound mixer, his credits include producer, director and editor — just to name a few.

 

Through his company, MindWarp Films, Carlos realizes his own story-telling passion by producing and participating in documentaries and narratives that tackle issues such as immigration, domestic abuse and politics.

 

In his latest venture, Carlos is the Artistic Director of the El Paso Film Festival. With the support of the El Paso Filmmakers organization, the Paso Del Norte Community Foundation and his company MindWarp Films, the festival will give movie lovers a chance to see original films by regional filmmakers on the rise.

Carlos is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin Film School, is a member of the Cinema Audio Society (CAS), and is a College Assistant Professor for producing, editing and sound mixing at New Mexico State University's Creative Media Institute.

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Erin Reilly is a 2020 graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, where she obtained a degree in Media and Communication, with minors in English and Film and Television Studies. She brings to Worldwide Documentaries an extensive writing background, with experience in journalistic writing, young adult fiction writing, and screenwriting. At Fisher, Erin was the managing editor of the college’s national literary magazine, ANGLES, and Editor-in-Chief of the Cardinal Courier. After graduating from Fisher, Erin moved to NYC and in August 2022, independently published her debut novel titled Tossed by the Waves. Erin is currently based in Boston, MA, and is pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College, where she also teaches first year writing. 

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Alicia Fernández is a freelance Mexican visual journalist and producer from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Alicia’s visual reports have been featured in publications such as Al Jazeera, BBC London, Associated Press, Brut, Verdens Gang, and Der Spiegel. In 2011, Alicia was part of the El Diario de Juarez team who was awarded the Maria Moors Cabot Prize for their narco violence report in Juarez, Mexico. She has also contributed to training and protection organizations for journalists such as the International Center For Journalists (ICFJ) and Article 19, and is a fellow for the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF). Alicia has worked on independent projects such as The Red Note podcast, and works as a consultant for journalistic multimedia projects and workshops. Alongside Andalusia K. Soloff, Alicia coordinated and created the project “Fixers, opening paths to global journalism,” in order to encourage the local journalism that supports international reporting. 

Alicia’s portfolio can be found at https://aliciaaraisfernandez.myportfolio.com/welcome

Jim has been fortunate enough to have spent the last 4 decades creating award-winning work as an illustrator and graphic designer, living out a dream that has gone from crayons to computer screens. His work has been recognized by regional and national organizations including The Rochester Advertising Federation, The Society of Illustrators and Print Magazine. After spending 35 incredible years as part of a creative team, Jim has spent the last 4 discovering the freedoms that come with being his own boss. One of the great benefits of that change has been the opportunity to focus more of his creative energy and talents to partners and projects like Worldwide Documentaries and Oh Mercy. Jim has had the privilege of working with Bob and Heidi on two of their acclaimed films, A Closer Walk and Not My Life and is once again thrilled to be a small part of their latest contribution to the world.  

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“My work has always been about two things, discovering the essence of something through creative exploration and then capturing and communicating it in a way that is meaningful and beautiful to myself and others. Never boring, always challenging, I'm still learning new ways every day to try and make it happen.”

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In his spare time, which he has a bit more of these days, Jim enjoy’s growing as a photographer, spending time with family and friends, listening to his music collection and exploring the outdoor world with his adventurous wife of 26 years. You can find them paddling across the water, peddling down the road, trudging up a mountain or gliding over the snow anywhere they can get to these days. 

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Oh Yeah, Go Bills!