Good Intentions - A Peace Corps Documentary

As a Peace Corps volunteer in 2020, I was part of the worldwide evacuations of volunteers due to Covid-19. I had been an agriculture volunteer in The Gambia since the fall of 2017. Fast forward to the fall of 2022, I am beginning my first semester of The New School’s Documentary Film Program - a year-long program where each student aims to complete a short documentary. After much consideration, I decided to make Peace Corps the focus of my short film. Logline - Evacuated Peace Corps volunteer Harry Dwinell sits down with seven former volunteers to discuss critiques of the organization. These interviews are edited with Peace Corps advertisements satirically attempting to dissect the organization’s curated image. Sales Pitch - In its 60 years of existence, the Peace Corps has seen little reform despite generations of past volunteers voicing concerns. This is the only film that puts the government organization under a critical lens addressing timely issues such as mental health, reform, and neocolonialism. Director’s Statement - The challenge of this film is the amount of grey in the subject matter. There are no clear-cut answers or solutions. My intent with this film is not to provide viewers with solutions. It is to ask questions, converse, and debate with other RPCVs to create a space for dialogue.