JANE E. RYAN (WRITER/DIRECTOR)
When it comes to writing, Jane E. Ryan is a woman for all seasons. Due to overwhelming personal challenges with victims of Reactive Attachment Disorder, she's been driven to help other families with children traumatized early in life. In her first book on the topic, Broken Spirits Lost Souls (BSLS), which spent several weeks on the publishers Best Seller list, Ryan offers a broad view of the effects of attachment and bonding interruptions.
The wisdom offered in BSLS was garnered from her own experiences with two of her adopted children and interviews with parents of disturbed children from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Not satisfied that those needing support while rearing such youngsters would have time to read the meaty book she decided to educate using more popular art forms.
BSLS was followed by a screenplay, THE BOARDER, and later by a novel of the same name, which addresses the impact children with RAD have on their families. Although the story is fictionalized, it is based on true incidents, real families, and clearly demonstrates what can happen when well-balanced, loving families foster or adopt children with disturbing histories.
While leaning toward new horizons, her screenplays THE BOARDER and Brian's Choice won awards at film festivals around the United States. Then on her journey toward filming her first feature film, Jane served as Associate Producer on writer/director Kartik Singh's, “Saving Mom & Dad,” a short film that's won fifteen awards in thirty countries worldwide and premiered at CANNES.
Soon thereafter, Ryan consulted on teen filmmaker, Jared Martin's poignant, award-laden film, Lifestories: The Lost Boys of Sudan, providing educational guidance and African footage. She then traveled to Uganda, Africa for her freshman documentary on Ben Baai Mith Sudan (A Homecoming for Sudan's Son), which was completed in 2008.
Now retired from a career in nursing and counseling, Ryan lives in Grand Island, NE, but continues challenging herself. Currently her production company, Jane E. Ryan Productions, LLC, is in post-production for THE BOARDER.
In addition, Jane is currently forming a non-profit family-centered organization meant to support stressed families and help heal disturbed family relationships. Upon completion, THE BOARDER will be distributed to film festivals worldwide, and to professionals working with troubled children.
Also, a percentage of the proceeds from the movie will be used to fund the Institute for Family Health in Central Nebraska.
The wisdom offered in BSLS was garnered from her own experiences with two of her adopted children and interviews with parents of disturbed children from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Not satisfied that those needing support while rearing such youngsters would have time to read the meaty book she decided to educate using more popular art forms.
BSLS was followed by a screenplay, THE BOARDER, and later by a novel of the same name, which addresses the impact children with RAD have on their families. Although the story is fictionalized, it is based on true incidents, real families, and clearly demonstrates what can happen when well-balanced, loving families foster or adopt children with disturbing histories.
While leaning toward new horizons, her screenplays THE BOARDER and Brian's Choice won awards at film festivals around the United States. Then on her journey toward filming her first feature film, Jane served as Associate Producer on writer/director Kartik Singh's, “Saving Mom & Dad,” a short film that's won fifteen awards in thirty countries worldwide and premiered at CANNES.
Soon thereafter, Ryan consulted on teen filmmaker, Jared Martin's poignant, award-laden film, Lifestories: The Lost Boys of Sudan, providing educational guidance and African footage. She then traveled to Uganda, Africa for her freshman documentary on Ben Baai Mith Sudan (A Homecoming for Sudan's Son), which was completed in 2008.
Now retired from a career in nursing and counseling, Ryan lives in Grand Island, NE, but continues challenging herself. Currently her production company, Jane E. Ryan Productions, LLC, is in post-production for THE BOARDER.
In addition, Jane is currently forming a non-profit family-centered organization meant to support stressed families and help heal disturbed family relationships. Upon completion, THE BOARDER will be distributed to film festivals worldwide, and to professionals working with troubled children.
Also, a percentage of the proceeds from the movie will be used to fund the Institute for Family Health in Central Nebraska.
Jane E. Ryan is interviewed about 'The Boarder' on NTV Good Life
An excerpt from 'The Boarder'...
Exerting extraordinary strength that comes from deep inside her, Annika stabs the floor with the knife and breaks the blade in one swift movement. Unthinking, she grabs the blade from the floor, cutting her hand in the process, and throws it as far as she can.
Carl cries out uncontrollably as he continues to fight to win. Still bleeding from her wound, Annika maintains a hold on the boy that keeps him on the floor.“Let me up!” Carl demands.
Carl cries out uncontrollably as he continues to fight to win. Still bleeding from her wound, Annika maintains a hold on the boy that keeps him on the floor.“Let me up!” Carl demands.
Annika modulates her voice to soft and almost silky, “No, Carl. I’m in charge now.”
The youth continues to struggle even when the mother feels his energy ebbing. Carl shrieks in frustration and pulls against her restraining vise-like grip on him. As Annika maintains her hold on him, her fears turn to nearly overwhelming empathy for the damaged boy she’d grown to love.
She almost croons to him, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
In spite of a desire for it to be different, his demands have less punch now. The phone rings and rings again and she listens to it but doesn’t loosen her grip. She doesn’t attempt to answer the phone yet.
“Let go!” Carl pleads.
Finally sure of what she needs to do, Annika answers, “No, I won’t ever let you go.”
The youth continues to struggle even when the mother feels his energy ebbing. Carl shrieks in frustration and pulls against her restraining vise-like grip on him. As Annika maintains her hold on him, her fears turn to nearly overwhelming empathy for the damaged boy she’d grown to love.
She almost croons to him, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
In spite of a desire for it to be different, his demands have less punch now. The phone rings and rings again and she listens to it but doesn’t loosen her grip. She doesn’t attempt to answer the phone yet.
“Let go!” Carl pleads.
Finally sure of what she needs to do, Annika answers, “No, I won’t ever let you go.”