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"A visually stunning climbing film and a deeply moving human story."
- James McFadden
The Independent
Looking UP is the inspiring story of Eitan Armon, a young man facing encroaching blindness who takes on the challenge of climbing the world’s most epic granite wall. While in military service at age 20, Eitan is diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare and incurable genetic disease that causes blindness. With only 5% of his central vision remaining, Eitan learns to rock climb and ascends Yosemite’s daunting El Capitan. Looking Up documents Eitan’s journey and resilience, demonstrating the endless possibilities for those who approach life with positivity.
TRAILER
BIOS
EITAN ARMON
Eitan is a veteran IDF paratrooper, where he was a sharpshooter and named the outstanding soldier of his company. After getting diagnosed with RP, Eitan was medically discharged from the military and enrolled at Columbia University, where he studied neuropsychology. Eitan was a Phi Beta Kappa honors graduate and a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Since graduating, Eitan has been applying the lessons he learned through his own patient experience and positive psychology research by working to raise awareness for RP and emerging treatments. Eitan serves as a mentor to others with visual impairments and as a member of the Foundation for Fighting Blindness Strategic Council. Professionally, Eitan works as a financial analyst covering healthcare services companies.
In his spare time, Eitan is an avid skier and hiker, rabid Boston sports fan, and loves dancing with his friends and family.
ELENA NEUMAN
Producer/Director
Elena is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of NeumanFILMS based in New York City. Elena’s short film about four Holocaust survivors, People Forget, New Haven Remembers, aired on Connecticut Public Television and is currently streaming on CPTV. Elena co-produced/directed Wishmakers, a short film about an award-winning wine produced by mentally handicapped adults. The film won the International Gold Medal from the World Humanitarian Awards and an award of merit at IndieFEST. Elena has also produced content for many educational and non-profit organizations. Looking UP marks Elena’s feature film directorial debut.
Previously, Elena was an associate producer at Manifold Productions where she worked on three PBS films: The Fall of Newt Gingrich, Rediscovering George Washington, and God and the Inner City. A graduate of Cornell and Yale Universities, Elena spent her early career as a print journalist before segueing into documentary filmmaking. When she's not making films, Elena loves hiking, biking and skiing in the mountains. Filming in Yosemite was a dream come true.
PHOTOS
CREDITS
Producer and Director: Elena Neuman
Director of Photography: Dani Tenenbaum
Mountain Cinematography: Damian Benegas & Nils Bailey
Editor: Dennis Clark
Original Score: Michael Bryan Stein
Original Song "Looking UP"
Written and produced by Michael Bryan Stein
Performed by Edan Tamler
Featuring (in order of appearance) :
Eitan Armon
Jay Lefkowitz
Willie Benegas
Tamar Arenson
Rami Armon
Dr. Edwin Stone
Dr. Tal Ben Shachar
Robert Heidenberg
Run Time: 01:11:34
Accessibility: Captions and Audio Description
WHERE TO SEE
Miami Jewish Film Festival
WORLD PREMIERE!
January 12, 2025 @ 6:30 PM
The Michael-Ann Russell JCC Theatre
DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival
February 27, 2025 @ 12:30 PM
St. George UT
Annapolis Film Festival
March 30, 2025 @ 12:30 PM
Annapolis MD
Julien Dubuque
International Film Festival
April 23, 2025 @ 1:30 PM
April 24, 2025 @ 7:45 PM
Dubuque IA
CONTACT
For Festival Inquiries:
nancy@cinemacollet.com
For Interviews and press inquiries:
ElenaNeumanFilms@gmail.com
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