Robert Rollins honors his grandfather and father’s legacy with ‘The Friendship‘, a documentary with three screenings at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Robert Rollins honors his grandfather and father’s legacy with ‘The Friendship‘, a documentary nearly 60 years in the making with three screenings at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
‘The Friendship‘ is a journey that began in landlocked Arcadia, CA where Robert H. Rollins and his father Ralph Rollins. Being 50 miles away from the Pacific Ocean did not stop the dream of creating the ship with his father. The first Friendship was lost in a storm and a second was built with the same name.
Robert H. Rollins worked for Disneyland designing the canals after sleep walking prevented him from entering World War II, but that second Friendship was something that connected three generations of Rollins’ men as they worked on the second incarnation in 1958.
How Robert Rollins took over 60 years of footage and condensed it into 43 minutes, I will never know, but this love letter to family, friendship and personal history can easily be picked up by PBS for their documentary series.
Narrated by Jack Curenton and Robert Rollins, who read his grandfather’s letters off camera, ‘The Friendship‘ is a feel good documentary that shines a light on hope, drive and desire to not only compete but to also be united with a purpose.
Official Synopsis:
To bring his dream to life, Bob Rollins enlisted the help of his family and friends to build his boat in the backyard of their family home 50 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by houses and hemmed in by fences and trees, will Bob be able to transport the Friendship to open water so she can be raced in the 1959 Transpac Race, or will this landlocked vessel become Rollins’ folly?
‘The Friendship‘ has three screenings at the Newport Beach Film Festival
Summary
‘The Friendship‘ is a documentary of desire, determination and family unity.
