“The Other Side” by Josh Leong

A moving short about the Ethiopian communities impacted by the abandoned children crisis, written and directed by New York City-based filmmaker Josh Leong. “The Other Side” was inspired by a church missions trip in 2018 where Leong stayed at a boys orphanage. There he befriended 17-year-old Abel, whose story of having to leave his younger brother behind when he turned 18 impacted Leong deeply — remaining with him well after he returned to the US and started his freshman year at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

“Due to poverty, HIV, chronic illness, and lack of female empowerment programs, there are 5 million vulnerable children in Ethiopia ranging from infancy to 18 years of age. Hundreds of private orphanages have closed due to lack of funding, resulting in millions of vulnerable children often living their entire lives on the streets.”

Starring
Ethan Herisse
Wayna
Adonai Kelelom

Written & Directed by Josh Leong
Produced by Sofia Bara & Bemnet Yemesgen
Executive Producers: Augustine Hong, Jonathan Ferguson, Khalil El-Ghoul
Sounil & Gracie Yu, Daniel & Carolina Bara, Jin & May Leong
Director of Photography: Tom Ingwersen
Edit: Josh Leong
Music: Gavin Brivik, Sam Gryzwa
Associate Producer: Sophia Heriveaux
Co-Producer: Josh Leong
Casting: Frehiwot Berhane
Locations: Tedos Teffera
UPM: Yabsira Megersa
AD: Sofia Bara
1st AC: Daniel Belay
Sound Mixer: Beferdu Teffera
Boom Op: Nahom Samunegus
HMU: Temima Hulala
Art Director: Cameron Protzman
Script Supervisor: Olivia Fournier
Stunts: Nicholas Ortiz, Angela Jordan
PA: Natalie Abbey
Translators: Yodahe Zerihun, Abdirebi Daniel
Sound Design: Upper West Sound, Matthew Orlando
Color: The Mill – NY, Andrew Ceen
Marketing: Celia Tewey, Grace Sessinghaus, Gimga Group
Business Development: Phillip Kearney