Camp, a movie inspired by the heartbreaking stories of foster children, is now playing in limited release this week at the Fiesta 5 Theatre in Santa Barbara.
“The movie is based on the experience of campers and counselors at Royal Family Kids Camps, including the camp held locally in Santa Barbara,” said writer/director Jacob Roebuck, whose company, privately held Roebuck Media, is donating 40 percent of the film’s proceeds to Royal Family Kids Camp of Santa Barbara.
Besides encouraging people to volunteer to serve at a camp for abused and neglected children, Camp is raising money for the Santa Barbara camp. which takes place in Santa Barbara the last week in July.
“Watching the movie made me cry because I know so many real kids like the ones in the movie,” said camp director Margaret Polizo. “The movie is very entertaining. It’s a good film about hope, and my hope is that people will see this movie and decide to help us care for these kids.”
On his 10th birthday, Eli is placed in a foster home after being abused by his father. Meanwhile, to impress a potential new client, investment adviser Ken Matthews (Michael Mattera) signs up to be a camp counselor and gets paired with the troubled Eli (Miles Elliot). Once at camp, Ken struggles between his self-serving motives and Eli’s need for unconditional love. After painful revelations, Ken is forced to take drastic measures to earn back Eli’s trust. Camp also stars Asante Jones, (Parenthood, Dexter) Grace Johnston, (Snitch, The Devil’s Dozen) and Matthew Jacob Wayne (New Girl, The New Normal). Click here to view trailers from the film.
Royal Family Kids Camp of Santa Barbara has been serving abused and neglected children in Santa Barbara County since 2002. Each summer, we are able to take 32 children to a week-long residential camp where they are showered with love and attention from approximately 45 adult volunteers.
One of the highlights of the week is the boat ride at Lake Cachuma in which the children not only get to ride in a boat (often for the first time), but they get to drive it as well. One child very reluctantly came to camp one summer and had the opportunity to ride in the boat on the first day of camp. Upon returning from the lake, he jumped out of the van as he loudly exclaimed, “This is the best day of my whole life!” Our local Royal Family Kids Camp has been creating special moments for these children for the past 11 years.
Royal Family Kids Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the nation’s leading network of camps for abused, neglected and abandoned children. By mobilizing local churches to sponsor a one-week camp for abused and neglected children ages 7-11 in their local community, RFK gets caring adults involved in the lives of children who need them most. Each camp has two simple goals: make positive childhood memories for the kids and let them experience unconditional love from an adult.
— Marina King is a staff member of Royal Family Kids Camp of Santa Barbara.
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