We are currently raising funds to bring our latest documentary project to life.

Be Charlie (working title) follows Charlie Johnson, a 104-year-old World War II veteran and lifelong trailblazer, as he trains to compete again at the Las Vegas Shoot in spring 2027, when he will be 105 years old. While this goal anchors the story, the film ultimately explores something deeper: purpose, resilience, and what it means to keep moving forward at any age.

At 104, Charlie continues to show up to the archery range, training alongside athletes decades younger. His life spans more than a century—from growing up in the segregated South and being raised by a grandmother born into slavery, to serving in World War II, to becoming a community leader and one of the first Black deacons in Cincinnati. Yet this is not a retrospective biography—the film is grounded firmly in the present, capturing his daily discipline, community, and enduring spirit as it unfolds in real time.

Central to the story is Charlie’s relationship with his wife, Bonnie, whose warmth, humor, and perspective deepen the emotional core of the film. Their partnership offers a powerful lens into love, aging, and companionship. Alongside them, the vibrant community at the archery range—friends, fellow athletes, and longtime companions—play an essential role, reflecting the sense of connection and belonging that continues to sustain Charlie.

There is a real urgency to begin filming now. At 104, Charlie is actively training, evolving, and living this story in real time—but capturing it requires us to be present immediately. Documentary filmmaking at this level requires resources, and this initial fundraising effort is essential to mobilize a small crew, secure equipment, and begin production without delay so that we do not miss this extraordinary moment in his life.

Our approach is rooted in vérité filmmaking—observational, intimate, and cinematic—allowing audiences to experience Charlie’s world rather than simply hear about it. Director Nita Blum-Reddick is a documentary filmmaker whose recent co-directed film, A New Inferno, world premiered at SXSW and will be released on The New York Times Op-Docs this summer. Together with her filmmaking partner Daniel Reddick, they bring over twenty years of combined experience in documentary production, storytelling, and immersive on-location filmmaking.

Your support will help us secure essential resources—permits, equipment, insurance, and a small crew—so we can begin filming and move this important project forward in a timely and meaningful way.

Thank you for being part of bringing this story to life. We look forward to bringing you along on the journey.