The Widow’s Mites

This story was an accident. Well, a series of fortunate events anyway. I was down in Ecuador filming a Family Food Production piece. Tyler, the producer and I were there a few days early before the rest of the crew arrived so we got to do a little extra stuff we don’t normally get to do on a shoot—like go to the local market.

That’s where I found this woman. She came to me so quietly and so humbly begged for assistance. Though I could not speak her language, I understood her perfectly with her prayer hands and cupping hands and the way she would so gently wave to get my attention. She touched my soul and I could not get her out of my mind all week. So when we finished production a bit early (hey, when does that ever happen?) I went to the market to find her.

So we filmed this segment of her walking and petitioning at the door. I had no idea what I would do with the sequence, but I knew I wanted it. Months later I remembered another scene we had shot and thought maybe they might work together. That’s how The Widow’s Mites came to be.

Scott Wilhite wrote, directed, and edited this piece.

:: Director
:: Writer
:: Editor
:: Client: LDS Philanthropies
:: DP: George Griner
:: Music: 5 Alarm
:: Color: ColorMill
:: Location: Ecuador