EXCLUSIVE: Academy Award winner Wendy Finerman, American Ninja Warrior host Matt Iseman, Revelations Entertainment boss Lori McCreary and This is Us star Jon Huertas are among the judges of a short film competition designed to celebrate healing and hope.
They will form a judging panel for Hero’s Journey: The Posttraumatic Growth Story Challenge, which has been created by the Boulder Crest Foundation, in association with online community portal Tongal and New York’s Atlantic Productions.
The competition plans to celebrate films that turn “struggle into strength” and is being held to mark the third annual Posttraumatic Growth Day on June 13. The PTG concept highlights how struggle can lead to profound growth and transformation, and that trauma can be the precursor to something extraordinary.
On the Hero’s Journey judging panel are Finerman, who for her work on Forrest Gump was the first female producer to win an Oscar; doctor-turned-comedian and Ninja Warrior host Iseman; This is Us and Generation Kill actor Jon Huertas; Revelations Entertainment CEO Lori McCreary; Dancing with the Stars winner and motivational speaker Martinez; director and The Last of Us actor Jake Allyn; RIDE writer and actor Josh Plasse; Boulder Crest founder and chair Ken Falke; and Boulder Crest health psychologist Taryn Greene.
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Filmmakers are being urged to submit films of 10 minutes or less, with three prizes of $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000 on offer to the winners, along with mentorship opportunities and a special screening of their work in front of executives at Soho House New York. An additional five $1,000 PTG Awards will be granted to standout submissions.
Tongal will give the projects further visibility thorugh its platform, which has a global community of 160,000 and delivered more than two billions hours of content.
Falk, a retired Navy EOD Master Chief, founded Boulder Crest Foundation as a nonprofit based around PTG. Over the past decade, it claims to have helped 130,000 veterans, service members, first responders and their families overcome struggles and transform them into strength. The scientific framework around PTG was created by psychologists Dr. Richard Tedeschi and Dr. Lawrence Calhoun at the University of North Carolina in 1995.
“At Boulder Crest, we believe that struggle has value,” said Josh Goldberg, CEO of Boulder Crest. “It’s a gateway to transformation and growth. We launched the Hero’s Journey contest to invite creators, veterans, and everyday people to share stories of Posttraumatic Growth, not just survival. Our goal is to shift the conversation around trauma – from one focused on what’s broken to one centered on what’s possible.”
Finerman added: “Stories have the power to heal, inspire, and transform—not just the people watching them, but the people telling them. I’m honored to be a juror for the Hero’s Journey contest because I believe in amplifying the voices of those who have faced adversity and found meaning on the other side. These aren’t just stories of survival – they are stories of growth, courage, and the human spirit at its most resilient. Supporting this cause is deeply personal to me, because I’ve seen how storytelling can be a lifeline – and how it can light the way forward for others.”
Atlantic partner and CEO Darren Goldberg said: “We believe storytelling is the most powerful tool we have for cultural change. Our work with Boulder Crest has opened our eyes to how people can grow stronger through hardship. As a father to a son with a rare genetic syndrome, I’ve seen firsthand how mindset shapes reality. This contest is about amplifying voices of growth, resilience, and human potential.”
Tongal co-founder and CEO James DeJulio added: “At Tongal, we’re dedicated to connecting creative talent with life-changing opportunities — so it’s an honor to be part of this project which fuses creativity and transformative growth in such a meaningful and productive way.”
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