I have always been intrigued by the events that shape a person's life, that truly have the power to redirect it. By equal turns they can be grand and dramatic—the kind that hit with a slap—and simpler, more mundane, arriving in the form of small gestures. Such moments always manage to come as a surprise, and never where one might expect to find them. And often, they seem to contain an element of grace.

Fate, more than anything else, has had the strongest hand in creating this movie. Like any undertaking one invests with great importance and thus chooses to gamble on, “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing” began with the roll of the dice, launched into risky territory without financing, uncertain of its outcome. But something always carried the movie along, in spite of every obstacle. And there were many strange parallels between what was happening onscreen and off; the ideas the film set out to explore were mirrored in its making. Here was a group of individuals, united by a common thread; and a collection of experiences marked by determination and resilience, hopefulness, and faith.

This was a true collaboration in the very best sense, the work of many who signed on and never looked back. I hope you enjoy the film and that it offers you some surprises; if so, I would be grateful for your help in preserving then for future audiences.

—Jill Sprecher