We Are Together Gets Audience Love

(L-R) Teddy Leifer and Paul Taylor, the audience-charmers behind We Are Together (Photo: STV)

By S.T. VanAirsdale

They now call Tribeca's audience prize the Cadillac Award, and the rumor is that the trophy was as heavy as an El Dorado. But that was of little concern to filmmaker Paul Taylor and producer Teddy Leifer, whose documentary We Are Together were awarded the hardware -- and its corresponding $25,000 prize -- Saturday night prior to the closing-night premiere of The Gates. The film goes behind the scenes at South Africa's Agape Orphanage, which is both home to children of AIDS victims and the center of those children's choral work celebrated worldwide. The film showcases both their music and surrogate family; the kids have been performing throughout the festival, starting with their interlude on opening night.

A festival dispatch sent over late Saturday noted that Taylor and Leifer will pass the money along to the kids for Agape education expenses; an insider said the trophy will be recycled as a tire block for non-operational school vehicles.

Posted at May 6, 2007 10:35 AM