The Human Experience 2008

Two brothers, Jeffrey and Clifford Azize, embark on a three-part journey that follows their search for hope, connection, and a deeper understanding of humanity. In their first experience, they travel to the streets of The Big Apple for a week that unfolds amid one of the coldest winters on record. The boys—coming from a family with divorced parents and having not seen their father for ten years—seek warmth not just from blankets but from the sense of belonging they find among the city’s homeless neighbors. The streets become their classroom, where they learn practical survival skills, share what little they have, and witness the humanity that survives even in the harshest conditions. The days are deliberate, the nights long, and the lessons are quiet but powerful as they navigate hunger, shelter, and the fragile bonds formed in a makeshift community.

In the second experience, the brothers join a group of surfers from Surf For The Cause on a journey to Peru. Their path leads them to a hospital for abandoned children tucked in the foothills of the Andes. There, the brothers discover joy and resilience in the faces of the young patients and the devoted caretakers who tend to them despite serious medical challenges. The story shifts from urban alienation to awe-inspiring acts of care and play, showing that light can emerge even in places touched by hardship. The encounter broadens their horizons and invites them to see strength in vulnerability, courage in caretaking, and hope where one might least expect it.

Across these chapters, the film weaves in perspectives from spiritual, artistic, medical, and philosophical voices, enriching the boys’ experiences with broader reflections on life, meaning, and compassion. Notable contributors include William B. Hurlbut M.D.; Rabbi Simon Jacobson; Dr. Alveda King; and Rev. Richard Neuhaus (filmed before his passing in January 2009). Their insights provide a contemplative texture to the boys’ observations, inviting viewers to consider questions about healing, faith, and human connection.

The final chapter sends Michael Campo and their friend, [Matthew Sanchez], on a journey to Africa, with Michael heading toward a leper colony in rural Ghana. En route, they encounter families affected by AIDS, bearing witness to the ways illness alters lives and communities. When they reach the leper colony, they form bonds with people who have been disfigured by the disease and exiled from their villages, finding friendship, dignity, and courage in the face of stigma. The experiences on this continent bring the brothers closer to the complexity of suffering and the power of empathy, reminding them that every life has value and every act of kindness matters.

Returning to New York, the brothers carry with them a transformed outlook on the human condition. The film closes with a poignant note of reconciliation: Jeffrey and Clifford are reunited with their father after a decade apart, embracing the possibility of healing and renewed love. The journey becomes not only a search for personal meaning but also a testament to family ties, resilience, and the enduring impact of choosing compassion in the face of life’s daunting challenges.