The Space Between Documentary

When I was in grad school, I noticed something strange. People in my classes were smart and kind, but when politics came up, everything got tense. It felt like we were supposed to pick sides — and once we did, we couldn’t really talk anymore.

That got me wondering: are we really as divided as it feels? Or is something else going on?

Listening Instead of Arguing

To find out, I started filming. I talked with four people who live very different lives — Ryan, Molly, Steward, and Ilsy.

• Ryan is a firefighter who spends his days helping people he’s never met.
• Molly runs a shirt company and has raised tens of thousands of dollars for causes she cares about — including the Baltimore bridge collapse.
• Steward is a historian who leads by example and keeps the past alive.
• Ilsy has volunteered for campaigns in Virginia and across the country because she believes in making a difference.

They don’t all agree on politics. But what I found is simple: they all care deeply about their communities. They all worry about the same things most of us do — our families, our jobs, and how to make life better for the people around us.

So Why Does It Feel Like We’re So Divided?

Because there are what the bridge-building space calls “conflict profiteers.”

These are people and systems that make money or gain power by keeping us angry at each other. When we assume the worst about “the other side,” that assumption becomes a mirror. We think they hate us — so we start to hate them — and the cycle keeps going. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that feeds on fear, not truth.

What I Found in “The Space Between”

The quiet moments told a different story.

Moments when people listened. When they laughed. When they realized they had more in common than they ever expected. Those moments gave me hope.

That’s what The Space Between is about — a film not about politics, but about people. About what happens when we stop arguing and start really listening.

A Glimpse of Hope

If you’ve ever felt like this country is too far gone, I hope this project reminds you that it’s not. There’s more connecting us than dividing us.

And I can’t wait to show you what that looks like.