Upon Return
3:55 mins
United States of America
Feb 17, 2024
In Competition
Upon Return is a compelling documentary short directed by Devan Jordan and Emily Sedgwick that has made notable waves on the student film circuit. The film centers on American broadcast journalist Bob Woodruff and intimately explores his near-fatal injury sustained in Iraq in 2006 while reporting for World News Tonight. Through firsthand interview footage, Woodruff recounts the blast, his subsequent recovery, and the evolution of his mission to support wounded veterans through the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The film’s thoughtful structure and emotive storytelling brought it substantial recognition: it won first place in the high school documentary category at the New Haven Documentary Film Festival and earned awards at other regional festivals, highlighting both the quality of the interview and the filmmakers’ editing choices.
Jordan and Sedgwick’s work also garnered broader critical acclaim beyond local competitions. Beside being a finalist at our Y-CAM Film Festival, Upon Return was selected for prestigious showcases including the All American High School Film Festival accomplishments that speak to its resonance with audiences and juries alike. The documentary’s clear narrative focus on Woodruff’s resilience — paired with its intimate portrait of trauma, recovery, and advocacy — demonstrates a maturity in style and substance that sets it apart from many student films. Critics and festival judges have praised the duo’s ability to convey emotional depth within a short format, crafting a piece that is as informative as it is inspiring.
WRITERS/DIRECTORS
Devan Jordan
Emily Sedgwick
PRODUCERS
Devan Jordan
Emily Sedgwick
CAST
Bob Woodruff — Self
About
Devan Jordan
Devan Jordan is a passionate filmmaker who attended Sacred Heart Greenwich in Connecticut and is currently a student at University of Richmond.
Devan’s work on Upon Return helped earn the film several festival participations and awards — a notable achievement for a student filmmaker. Among others, the documentary was a finalist for a National Student Emmy, demonstrating the strength of Devan's directorial voice and the impact of her debut project. These accolades underscore Jordan’s early promise in documentary filmmaking and her ability to tackle meaningful topics with sensitivity and clarity.
About
Emily Sedgwick
Emily is an incoming first-year student at the University of California, Berkeley. She intends to major in Film & Media after finishing a 4-year film curriculum in high school at Sacred Heart Greenwich. She was the executive producer in their Advanced Real World Filmmaking Honors class striving to share others' voices through empathetic non-fiction filmmaking.
A sophomore student at UC Berkeley, Emily is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Economics & Policy and a Minor in Journalism. On campus, she's a news reporter for CalTV, Berkeley's premier on-screen media organization. She developed her passion for non-fiction filmmaking throughout high school, taking on roles such as Executive Producer of her school's Real-World Filmmaking class, events chair for their 15th Annual Film Festival, and the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the program's official Instagram, @LightsCameraHeart. Her work has been recognized in festivals on local, national, and international stages, and most recently has been honored to receive the RTDNA Foundation's Bob Wilson Scholarship.