“The House We Lived In: A Heartfelt Journey of Family, Memory, and Resilience” from Tim O’Donnell

Recently Pixela Films announced the release of their new documentary film, “The House We Lived In,” featuring a soundtrack by American indie folk band Bon Iver. The film, which took 12 years to make, was a personal project for Pixela Co-Founder Tim O’Donnell, with its main subject being his father. The documentary, initiated in the confines of an ICU with nothing but an iPhone, traced the journey of Tim’s father, Tod, from a life-threatening, eight-day coma to a miraculous recovery.

During this tumultuous period, the O’Donnell family faced the loss of their home due to financial hardships, but the most profound loss was Tod’s memory of their shared home. Through a series of experimental installations and home movies, Tim embarked on a heartfelt mission to resurrect the memories lost to his father. As memories returned in the form of dreams, the family struggled with accepting this new version of their father.

Reflecting on the journey, Director Tim O’Donnell shared, “It felt surreal to be finished with a film about my dad and family that took the last 12 years of my life to make. When my dad was in a coma and we didn’t have any information at all about what a brain injury was. We all sat down as a family and watched the documentary film ‘Life.Support.Music.’ It was our only hope at the time. Just something out there in the ether that documented what happens during and after something like this happens. Our film took a lot longer than we expected – but now we have something to share with the next family or anyone navigating a new challenge, my dad’s new mission is to help others in any way he can. I’m very proud to be part of that. ‘The House We Lived In’ is by far the most important thing I’ve ever gotten to make.”

“The House We Lived In” not only captured the hearts of audiences but also earned critical acclaim, receiving the Best Documentary award at the NH Film Festival, Official Selection for the San Francisco Documentary Film Festival, Woods Hole, Independent Film Festival Boston, and Ashland Film Festival with screenings at MIT, Harvard, UCLA, and many more. Its impact was further amplified through partnerships with the Brain Injury Association of America and clips of the film having appeared on ESPN, showcasing the film’s profound narrative.

Platforms including NPR and ESPN lauded the film, with NPR calling it “A really amazing film with a great story,” and ESPN describing it as “An absolute powerhouse of a film.”

In alignment with Brain Injury Awareness Month, “The House We Lived In” was released and distributed by Gravitas Ventures on March 12, 2024, through Amazon, Google Play, AppleTV, and more, promising to be a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration for many.

About Pixela Films: Pixela Films is a dynamic film production company located in Greater Boston dedicated to crafting compelling narratives that inspire and provoke thought. With a focus on documentary filmmaking, Pixela Films seeks to explore the intricacies of the human condition and the resilience of the spirit.

About Director Tim O’Donnell: Tim O’Donnell is an Emmy-nominated and award-winning documentary filmmaker. His work has appeared on ESPN, NBC, PBS, OutsideTV, CNN Films, Uninterrupted, and events around the world. His film Not a War Story opened at #1 for all iTunes Documentaries and premiered at the Academy of Motion Pictures. His follow-up feature “Life Without Basketball” opened to a sold-out audience at DOC NYC and is being distributed by Gravitas Ventures and is available on SundanceNow, Hulu, and BET. HBO’s Mary Carillo said of Tim’s work,”The story is so beautiful, so lovingly told and so incredibly moving.”

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.