One Life

Gun violence is one of the most pressing social issues facing America today. ONE LIFE looks into this timely topic through the unique prism of an art installation dubbed The Embassy that takes place in New Orleans 8th Ward. The Embassy is a collaboration between artist Kirsha Kaechele & former NBA player Randy Livingston. The installation kicks off with a gun buyback & a Mardi Gras inspired street parade to mark the opening of a free recording studio where youth affected by gun violence come to record their songs with platinum selling recording artist Mr Serv-On. The story follows two aspiring recording artists, Mariah & KG, from their initial meetings with Mr Serv-On, to writing & recording their own songs, to performing at a neighborhood Block Party. The young artists' journeys are inter-cut with formal interviews with experts on the justice system, the prison system, education and mental health who give their take on why the rate of gun deaths in New Orleans is so high, & what can be done about it. For our young artists, it's a transformational journey leading to an emotional resolution for one of them & the possibility of stardom for the other. The film treats New Orleans as a culturally specific microcosm of the United States, and situates the story in the broader context of shooting deaths across the US. This is contrasted with the relative peacefulness of Tasmania, where the Embassy was conceived. The lively soundtrack combines rap music with a lyrical original score.