Andrew Jenks, Room 335

Plot Summary

After rallying several times, Dotty returns to the hospital for good. In an extremely moving moment, Jenks prays over her listless figure in the hospital bed and Dotty weakly raises her hands in prayer, telling him, "Thank you." Throughout Jenks' stay, he sees these and other inhabitants of Harbor Place through their ups and downs, getting to know them as individuals, not stereotypes. As their friend and confidant, he comes to realize that the friendship and interaction he can offer as a younger person are as valuable to the residents as their goodwill and life lessons are to him. Concludes Jenks, "We're all gonna grow old at some point. Does this mean we're going to be neglected too? Despite their old age and declining health, people like Bill and Tammy still have love and wisdom to give to society. I really didn't know what to expect when I arrived at Harbor Place, but I found it to be a world of incredible passion, a world with friends that I will never forget." What started as a simple, low-budget documentary turned into an international hit. ANDREW JENKS, ROOM 335, went on to win top prizes at a number of domestic and international film festivals. The film has premiered in theaters and on television around the world. HBO released the film domestically in January 2008 to rave reviews and critical acclaim. The Daily News said ‘It's almost impossible to believe that a kid could produce a documentary like this. It's a gorgeous, hilarious, sad, wonderful, unblinking look at the joy of life - even at the end of it… Bravo, Andrew Jenks. Brilliant.’ The New York Times said ‘Jenks takes his camera into a world that is usually invisible and shines a light on a population that many of us would just as soon forget.’