Newport Beach Film Festival 2009

“Making the Crooked Straight” is a 30 minute documentary about one man’s journey to save the world by saving one child at a time. Born in Long Island, New York and educated at John Hopkins, Dr. Rick Hodes has dedicated his life to helping heal the sick and poor of Ethiopia over the past 20 years. Many of his patients are stricken with tuberculosis of the spine, a disease that creates massive humps on the backs of its victims. Eventually they’re forced into a permanent forward-bending posture, which in turn prevents their lungs from working properly, and if left untreated leads to death. Driven by his devotion to Orthodox Judaism and it's belief that 'He who saves one life, saves an entire world' , Hodes provides these patients with hospital care - arranges for complex overseas surgeries—often paying for these out of his own pocket—and has, thus far, adopted seventeen children in order to provide them with not only proper medical care but a home and an education. Often compared with Albert Schweitzer and Mother Teresa, Hodes believes the only way to change the world is to be the change. Making the Crooked Straight explores this remarkable mans work in Ethiopia, his highly original family life, and the spirituality that has guided his choices and sacrifices.