Official Selection at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Nickel Independent Film Festival, Edmonton International Film Festival and the San Diego International Film Festival.

“The Common Thread” is a short documentary about an artist’s pursuit to find purpose in what she creates, and her struggle to understand why much of Western society ignores the violence in other parts of the world. By all accounts, Heather Haynes was a successful artist with an agent and was continually selling her original works. Feeling like her work was being commoditized, she longed for inspiration. A quest, inspired by Lisa Shannon’s book “A Thousand Sisters”, led Heather to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after which her work abruptly took on new meaning, altering the trajectory of her life forever. In the midst of violence, war, and unspeakable cruelty, she found a community of strong women, children and families fighting for peace. This film shares Heather’s connection to The Democratic Republic of Congo through the creation of her latest triumph – a 15-foot canvas entitled, The Common Thread.