ABOUT
“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
-Steve Jobs
I grew up in Austin, Texas, a fifth generation Texan, and started fighting at a very young age protecting who I thought needed protecting. I was in kindergarten when I fought off dozens of boys (ok, I think it was one or two boys) who were poking at and throwing rocks at a Horney Toad lizard. I triumphantly saved the lizard at least to live another day in its sandbox. Protecting animals and people sort of became my purpose in life and as I got older I discovered film making as a tool for telling stories of bravery and courage and hopefully telling these stories helps to protect.
“When life gets hard, try to remember: the life you complain about is only a dream to some people.”
– Anonymous
I spent ten years living in Philadelphia, which had a lot of homeless people, many of whom I encountered daily. I got to know some of their names and stories. There was an Iraq war veteran named Denzel, because he looked just like Denzel Washington, who did street art, and I would often take my dog and sit with him on the sidewalk while he painted. I really enjoyed hearing his stories and being with him. Was a special moment in my life. During this time, I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, which was life altering. I fell in love with Tanzania and the people and I started a charity organization called “Kilimanjaro Technology Foundation,” helping kids with water and education. Through KiliTech, I met the inspiring and brave Kathy Eldon at Creative Visions and joined her team of film makers producing my first documentary film, the 3D film “Sun Ladies of Yazidi,” featured in Vogue Magazine. Working with the amazing Kathy Eldon, Celine Tricart and Maria Bello changed my life forever as I got hooked on documentary films and the importance of educating and informing others of human rights and animal rights issues.
In January 2021, I was in a really bad horseback riding accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. I lost a lot of time and had to fight hard to regain the sense of “who am I?” My therapist turned me onto Brene’ Brown, who had a significant impact on my healing and I learned to be brave in my own story. Taking over two years to recover, I am now back to making films and working in Hollywood.
“True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are, it requires you to be who you are.”
— Brene’ Brown
Films
Film making is about the story, the emotion and the essence of the imagery. Whether it’s stories about protecting America’s brave wild horses that are being herded up and their freedom stolen, “Wild Beauty, Mustang Spirit of the West,” helping girls in Tanzania to be brave and stay in school, “KiliTech,” or sharing the story of a brave man who overcame his hatred, “Refuge,” and brave Yazidi women who formed their own army to battle ISIS (Sun Ladies), they all have stories to tell and I have their stories to share.
PLAY LIST
WILD BEAUTY
REFUGEE
THE SUN LADIES
KILITECH
“I’ll share with you an old secret, old story tellers never die. They disappear into their own story.”
UPCOMING TRAVEL & PROJECTS
Fall 2022- Colorado Back Country
Winter 2022- Africa Adventure Akagera National Park
2023 – Hollywood
“What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.” Buddha
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NEWS
THE WOMEN LEADERS sits down with ‘Adventurous Leader Laurel Werner’ to talk about her latest projects and charities.
More news on Laurel Projects …..
Contact
Laurel Werner
Executive Film Producer
hello@laurelwerner.com