A Life of Intent: Growing Desert Roots

DOCUMENTRY | 7:00

At 19, Shelly suffered a serious traumatic brain injury that marked the beginning of her adult life. She began documenting her journey through photos, and this habit became a passion that led her on a brave path toward acceptance and meaning-making. Set in the peaceful and beautiful landscapes of the Southwest, Shelly tells her story in her own words and shares how nature, photography and human connection helped her transcend her circumstances and live a life marked by resilience and creativity: a life of intent.

Director Biography - Caroline Boyd

Caroline Boyd is an award-winning documentary filmmaker dedicated to amplifying unheard voices worldwide. With a passion for storytelling, Caroline has captured the resilience, courage and dignity of communities from rural Alaska to the the borders of Mosul. Her production company’s film “A Life of Intent: Growing Desert Roots” won Best Film at the Southern Utah Film Retreat for its intimate and inspiring storytelling. Through her work, Caroline bridges cultural divides, inspires empathy, and sparks dialogue on pressing social issues. With a commitment to creating human-centric work, she continues to push the boundaries of documentary filmmaking one powerful story at a time.