“I am so grateful for the existence of this powerful and unflinching chronicle.
She wanted her death to be a work of art, and so it is.”
STEP INSIDE THE JOURNEY OF
HERE I AM
A documentary about love, loss, and the search for meaning
- an exploration of what it means to fully live in the face of mortality.
Here I Am follows best-selling author
Elizabeth Gilbert (‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and ‘All The Way To The River)
and her lover, Rayya Elias through the extraordinary
final days of Rayya’s life.
FILM STILLS
DIRECTOR’S STORY
FILMMAKER MARC J. FRANCIS WITNESSED THEIR STORY FIRSTHAND.
With rare intimate access, Marc was invited to witness their extraordinary journey through Rayya’s last 12 months. When Liz and Rayya opened their world to him, they weren’t just inviting him to make a film. They were inviting all of us to reflect on what it means to love fully, to live truthfully, and to face the end with courage.
“This story isn’t about dying. It’s about living — fiercely, honestly, and with love.”
From Marc’s Documentary DiarY
I first met Rayya Elias backstage in San Francisco, where I was speaking at the Dreamforce Conference, while launching my last film, Walk With Me. Amidst the post-screening buzz, I noticed a striking woman leaning against the wall, eyes locked onto me—not with admiration, but curiosity.
“Hey! I’m Rayya,” she said, stepping forward. “So…what are you doing next?”
There was a spark in her—something raw, magnetic, and alive with mischief. I smiled and said, “I’m looking for people who are dying… to tell a story about what it means to live.”
She didn’t flinch. “Well, dude,” she said matter-of-factly, “I’m dying of terminal cancer. Film me.”
Interested to learn about Marc’s experience behind the scenes?
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HERE I AM
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JOIN MARC AS HE LEADS US ALL
ON THIS JOURNEY OF LIBERATION
THROUGH SELF LOVE
Your presence helps bring Here I Am
into the world, and helps us all to reflect on the question:
“What would I do if I had only 12 months to live?”