Meet Filmmaker Patti Bonnet
April 10, 2025
tweet
share
In this next edition of “Meet the Filmmaker,” we hear from Patti Bonnet, the director of “Max: One Last Favor.” She shares insight in the the making of the film, her vision for telling the story, and why storytelling through cinema is important.
Q. How did you get involved with filmmaking?
A. I was a news junkie from an early age and as a young girl I was very inspired by the story of the musician Bob Geldof, who had watched one BBC Report about the famine in Ethiopia in the 80s and in response created a whole aid relief movement including Live Aid, and the celebrity-packed charity record “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”
I recognized the power of film to change the world and knew then that this was the kind of work I wanted to do. I went to journalism school and while I was still a student, I was offered an internship at the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour on PBS, which taught me so much. They became my surrogate family and opened up all kinds of incredible doors for me.
I eventually realized that I am more of an activist than an impartial journalist, so I shifted into longer-form documentary projects where I could take a stronger editorial stand and work directly to try to effect change in the world.
Q. What do you want audiences to know about your film?
A. “Max: One Last Favor” is unique in that there was no actual production or filming involved – it was created completely in the edit room by piecing together communications between myself, Afghan interpreter “Max,” and a network of former Marines working to save their friend during the fall of Kabul. The story is supplemented by news coverage, graphics, music, and the beautiful artwork of one the Marines, Joe Merritt. We had to get really creative when we started because we had no money and no way to film our subject safely, but we wanted to honor Max’s request that I make a film about his story.
I knew that we had some very powerful material and I had an idea of how it could play out, but I had never really seen a film like this before. It took a leap of faith from my brilliant editor and friend Sara McKellogg Lane, who offered to work for free for a few days to take my Google Doc with a bunch of cut-and-pasted archival texts, emails and voice messages to create a proof of concept video. Shockingly, it worked!
It’s a film that was born out of desperation, really. Our group was out of options and really wanted to let the world know what America had put our Afghan allies through (and what we ourselves had been through) in an effort to help fix our broken immigration system and to let other veterans and groups working to help Afghans know that they are not alone.
A lot of very talented people donated their skills and time to help make this film possible, because we all care deeply about our Afghan allies and our veterans, and we wanted to make sure America doesn’t forget about Afghanistan and those who served.
Q. What is your connection to service?
A. I was a co-producer on Sareen Hairabedian’s film “We Are Not Done Yet” which premiered at the GI Film Festival San Diego and profiles a group of veterans and active-duty service members as they come together to combat PTSD through the written word. Former Marine Joe Merritt was one of that film’s subjects. So when Kabul was falling, Joe reached out to all his friends on Facebook asking if anyone knew of any groups working to get interpreters out. I had a connection to the group No One Left Behind through a film festival, so I offered to help. I thought I would send a few emails or make a phone call or two and help get Max on the right list to get him into the airport and that would be that.
I’m drawn to stories about veterans because I strongly believe that we have a moral obligation to ensure that those who put their lives at risk for our country are cared for properly and given the services they were promised when they return home.
Q. Why do you think films are important?
A. I know from my own experience that film can be transformative. Where else can you spend 90 minutes and leave with a completely new understanding of the world?
Q. Where do you find community?
A. One of the beauties of the documentary world is that we get to immerse ourselves in new worlds and subcultures all the time, and I’ve been so fortunate to find so many meaningful friendships and communities through these experiences – the subjects we follow, our fellow filmmakers, and at film festivals and panels.
I’ve also met a surprising number of new friends through my dog Daisy, who I adopted during COVID.
About ‘Max: One Last Favor’ , directed by Patti Bonnet
After 20 years of war, America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left hundreds of thousands of Afghan interpreters and other allies behind as the Taliban retook the country with shocking speed. Fearing retribution for his brave work with the U.S., beloved interpreter “Max” and his family of 10 are forced into hiding as they desperately struggle to escape Afghanistan before they are tracked down and punished. Meanwhile in the U.S., Max’s former brothers in arms and their network of supporters work frantically to navigate the byzantine visa process established by the U.S. government to bring these allies to safety. Told through frenzied communications between Max, his devoted Marine friend Joe and their network, the film bears witness to the surreal situation unfolding over time as the group confronts the harsh realities of a broken system and a world that has moved on.
West Coast premiere as part of the documentary shorts block on Thursday, May 8 at 5 p.m.
