Tommy Rodgers, an eccentric man with a penchant for conspiracies, shares his personal experiences with loss, addiction and love.

Characterized by tales of learning to walk again, mythical beings and Pepsi, Tommy’s World is a humanitarian look at what connects us all.

Creative team

Director: Sam Harding
Producer: Brynn Rhude

Filmmaker’s statement

I believe that, as a society, if we do not make a conscious effort to better understand one another, we risk stagnation. By being open to ideas that break away from the mold that is our worldview, we are educating ourselves on what it means to be human.

None of us are around indefinitely and people are ultimately the most important thing we have, so how we communicate, treat and value each other determines our history going forward.

That was the goal of this student short film – to listen to someone else’s perception of the world and gain insight into a different set of views. How well that comes across, I don’t know.

I was grateful for the opportunity to work with a great crew and learn a ton about working in the documentary format. Everyone involved throughout this process was extremely generous and kind. I would also like to thank my professors for their terrific guidance, and Tommy for allowing us into his life.

There’s so much we have left to learn and I can’t wait to see where this path takes us.

About Sam Harding

Sam is a Toronto-based fourth year film student and aspiring screenwriter/director at Humber College in the bachelor of film and media production program.

He plans to continue directing documentary shorts after school and hopes to one day direct scripted features.