Innovations in storytelling and technology. Creating content to connect the human spirit.
ABOUT US
At A Journey Home Film, we seek to tell the stories that bring us home; to the seat of connection, awe, inspiration, and imagination. Our films are a testament to the power of storytelling in connecting people across different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. We strive to capture the essence of our subjects and bring their stories to life in a way that is both authentic and captivating.
We have developed a deep understanding of the storytelling process through years of experience and are constantly innovating to find new ways to enhance it. From utilizing cutting-edge technology to experimenting with different visual and audio techniques, we are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Our goal is to not only create immersive and memorable experiences for our audience but also to inspire them to take action and make a positive impact in the world. We believe that storytelling has the power to bring about real change and we are committed to using it for good.
With the combined history of award winning films, television, and innovative technological advances in the Motion Picture Industry, Journey Home’s production team has worked on films such as LIFE OF PI, and HUGO, as well as Showtime’s acclaimed docuseries COUPLES THERAPY. We’ve created our own original content from our debut feature, COAST (2021), to a number of award winning short films, all while actively working closely with Academy Award-winning actors and highly respected experts.
Jessica Hester is a director, writer, and producer. She directed A Journey Home Film’s first feature, COAST, which premiered at the 2021 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. She has also directed award-winning short films such as THE DRESS, ILLUSION and LONG WALK TO FOREVER, adapted from the Kurt Vonnegut short story and displayed at the Vonnegut Memorial Museum, and DEFENDER, starring Melissa Leo, in collaboration with Fujifilm. When not directing, she is a producer and post-supervisor on Showtime's Award winning show COUPLES THERAPY.
JESSICA HESTER
Angelica Hester is a producer/writer/editor with experience in film, corporate branding, and advertising. She has worked on a variety of projects, including editing the feature film COAST, LionsGate documentary TWA FLIGHT 800, assistant editor on THE YEAR BETWEEN, producing the nationally syndicated reality TV show THE PEOPLE'S COURT, and produced/edited FujiFilm short DEFENDER. Angelica is currently exploring ways of storytelling to enhance the viewer's sensory experience of character perspective, working on film and TV projects with Journey Home films, cohost of CRACKED UP, a podcast approaching mental health in a relatable, raw way.
ANGELICA HESTER
Cindy Kitagawa is a screenwriter and producer who made her feature writing debut with COAST, acquired and distributed by Cinedigm in 2022. Her most recent short script, DEFENDER, completed production in 2023 and was a collaboration project with Fujifilm. She is currently a co-owner of A Journey Home Film and a Programmer for Bentonville, San Luis Obispo and HollyShorts Film Festivals. Cindy hopes to create a space for audiences to understand and see something necessary about themselves in every story she explores.
CINDY KITAGAWA
Derek Schweickart is a producer, director, and director of photography who has worked with filmmakers such as David Fincher, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, and Ang Lee. He spent 6 years at the Cameron-Pace Group, working on over a dozen 3D feature films, including HUGO and LIFE OF PI. He has also directed several short films and co-directed COAST, which premiered at the 2021 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Derek continues to innovate in the film industry, working with Frame.io and Adobe on cloud-first workflows.
DEREK SCHWEICKART
ILLUSION
COUPLES THERAPY
BILLY LYNN’S LONG
HALFTIME WALK
DEFENDER
GEMINI MAN
UNTITLED JERROD CARMICHAEL
DOCUMENTARY SERIES
COAST
PRAISE FOR COAST
“Coast reminds us of that exciting time when the world was a place of endless possibility, and we are searching for our place within it,’ said Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer at Cinedigm. ‘Its rich, dimensional characters, including those of Latinx and Asian American heritage, are brought to life through the stellar cast. Given its universally relatable storyline and fantastic soundtrack, we’re sure audiences will gravitate toward this rockin’ film when it releases in theaters and on digital this spring 2022.”
-DISTRIBUTOR QUOTED ON COAST (2021)
“Coast reminds us of that exciting time when the world was a place of endless possibility, and we are searching for our place within it,’ said Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer at Cinedigm. ‘Its rich, dimensional characters, including those of Latinx and Asian American heritage, are brought to life through the stellar cast. Given its universally relatable storyline and fantastic soundtrack, we’re sure audiences will gravitate toward this rockin’ film when it releases in theaters and on digital this spring 2022.”
-DISTRIBUTOR QUOTED ON COAST (2021)
“The miracle of the film is how it shifts viewers’ perceptions without judging anyone… Coast captures small-town life so honestly that you care deeply what happens to the characters. That’s exactly what you want a movie to do. ”
-FILM LEGACY ON COAST (2021)
“The filmmakers invest a lot of personal feeling and creative energy into their depiction of a rural community populated by the children of immigrants.”
-LOS ANGELES TIMES ON COAST (2021)
“[Coast] does a better job at capturing the restlessness, the risks and the thrills of being a teenager than most teen-targeted studio films every hope, or probably aim, to.”
-JENNIFER GREEN FROM THE ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS ON COAST (2021)
