Song of Parkland

About Song of Parkland

Song of Parkland is a short documentary-style film, released in 2019, beautifully streaming the journey of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s drama club, as they decide to bring on the annual children's play regardless of the tragic shooting that took place just a month before the scheduled performance. This HBO film orbits around the resilience and courage of young students and their teacher finding solace in the arts, music, and acting, reminding us that through the toughest of circumstances, creativity and unity can blossom.

Making / Production

The film was Directed and produced by Emmy®-winner Amy Schatz, with an intention to showcase the inherently uplifting message of unity through unfathomable times. The production was swift after the real events, framing a raw and untamed narrative right from the flames of the incident that sets it forth.

Actors

• Melody Herzfeld: Herself, The drama teacher at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She, with her amazing determination, led the drama team and helped them overcome the terrible incident.
• The Students: The students showcased in the movie themselves, resilient souls refusing to let the tragedy dim their spirit, offering poignant performances on stage.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film is a serene tribute to the 17 victims who lost their lives during the Parkland school shooting, pressing for better gun control policies in a passive narrative.
• It was officially released on HBO in February 2019.

Music and Soundtrack

• Background scores and songs played in the film root deeply in emotions of hope, love and overcoming adversity, underlining the overall tone of the movie.

Quotes

• "When you take a group of kids and you say, 'How are we going to get through this together?' It's letting them know that there is a tomorrow, there is a next week, there is always a way through tragedy," - Melody Herzfeld.

The movie did not receive any major awards but served its purpose well by stirring the emotions of its viewers and showcasing the emotions, resilience and unity of the students and the teacher of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.