SOULFUL STORIES INSPIRE CHANGE
HERE I AM
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
“I am so grateful for the existence of this powerful
And unflinching chronicle. She wanted her death to be
a work of art, and so it is.”
— ELIZABETH GILBERT
ABOUT
"Here I Am" follows best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert and her lover, musician Rayya Elias, through an extraordinary year. Just after Rayya's 56th birthday and the release of her memoir on addiction, Rayya is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Refusing conventional treatment, she chooses to focus on quality of life, love and artistic expression. Through humour and raw honesty, she transforms her final months into a fearless creative project —recording an album with her nephew, inviting filmmaker Marc J. Francis to document her journey, and inspiring Elizabeth to write her next book. Set in New York and Detroit, the film captures their love, grief, and search for meaning, offering a powerful meditation on human connection, legacy, and facing mortality on one’s own terms.
RELEASE YEAR
2026
CREDITS
Director: Marc J Francis
Producers: Nick Francis, Marc J Francis, Eve Schoukroun, James Rodenhouse
Exec Producer: Regina K. Scully
Cinematography: Marc J. Francis
Editors: Francesca Sofia Allegra, Tom Herington
Music: Sami & James Jano, Rayya Elias
Featuring: Elizabeth Gilbert and Rayya Elias
PARTNERS
Seventh Floor Films, Artemis Rising Foundation
DIRECTOR’S STORY
I first met Rayya Elias backstage in San Francisco, where I was speaking at the Dreamforce Conference, while launching my last film, Walk With Me. Amidst the post-screening buzz, I noticed a striking woman leaning against the wall, eyes locked onto me—not with admiration, but curiosity.
“Hey! I’m Rayya,” she said, stepping forward.
“So…what are you doing next?”
There was a spark in her—something raw, magnetic, and alive with mischief. I smiled and said, “I’m looking for people who are dying… to tell a story about what it means to live.”
She didn’t flinch. “Well, dude,” she said matter-of-factly, “I’m dying of terminal cancer. Film me.”
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IMPACT
MARC J. FRANCIS - DIRECTOR STATEMENT
“I WANT TO TELL A STORY THAT CONFRONTS THE MYTHS ABOUT DEATH AND GRIEF, AND REDEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE OUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.”
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HERE I AM
Step into the intimate story of best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert
and her lover, musician Rayya Elias, as they explored
what it means to live fully in the face of mortality.
This is an intimate no holds barred film, set within the love relationship of the two main characters, Elizabeth Gilbert and Rayya Elias.
After Rayya refuses chemo for her terminal cancer, she has 12 months left to live. She hits the road with Liz on a rock n' roll adventure, and sets out to record her first and final music album before she passes.
The film is aspirational, and invites audiences to confront our impending death to embrace finding meaning in our lives now, before it's too late.
WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION (TBC)
40 COUNTRIES +
FILM FESTIVAL PREMIERE (TBC)
Sundance 2025
ANTICIPATED AUDIENCE REACH
1O million
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CHANGEMAKERS | GLOBAL LEADERS
CREATIVES | ENTREPRENEURS
PURPOSE-DRIVEN VISIONARIES:
CHANGEMAKERS I GLOBAL LEADERS I CREATIVES I ENTREPRENEURS
Marc J. Francis witnessed this story firsthand.
Join him for exclusive updates, and early access
to behind-the-scenes footage as he leads us all on this journey
of love, loss, and the search for meaning.
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