The Ron Kovic Peace Prize 2024

The 20^th MY HERO Film Festival Awards Ceremony was held on the November 16th, 2024 in Santa Monica at the Ann & Jerry Moss Theater at New Roads School. The ceremony was hosted Gabrielle Gorman, an advocate for international human rights, who has been affiliated with MY HERO since 2017 when she herself was a student at New Roads School.

GrilloMY HERO

Highlights included the presentation of the Ron Kovic Peace Prize to USC student Dima Puchkarev for his film Grillo.

Ron Kovic is a long-time supporter of the MY HERO film festival and a true hero. He’s a Vietnam War veteran, author, artist, and peace activist. His life story inspired the award-winning film Born on the Fourth of July, where he was portrayed by Tom Cruise. Ron has spent over 40 years fighting for peace and showing the world that non-violence is the way forward.

Grillo follows the story of David “Grillo” Amodio, a man shaped by gang violence, addiction, and incarceration in East L.A. Through candid reflections, David narrates his journey from a troubled youth to repeated run-ins with the law. With the support of Homeboy Industries and Father Greg Boyle, he seeks redemption and transformation. The film delves into the challenges of breaking the cycle of recidivism and highlights the power of community and second chances in rewriting one’s destiny.

In attendance were Ron, Dima and David. Ron addressed the audience, expressing gratitude for their attendance and acknowledging the challenging times ahead. He emphasized that as citizens, they could find inspiration in the film’s message—that the impossible can be made possible. He shared that Father Boyle, whom the film honors, was unable to attend but sent his ‘very best.’

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYDima, David and Ron 

Kovic commended David for his remarkable courage and long, difficult journey to be present, calling him his hero of the evening. He also highlighted the important work being done by heroes in Los Angeles, including Father Boyle and Homeboy Industries.

David (Grillo) explained how Homeboy Industries helps people redirect their lives - by offering education, work skills, and the belief that they are valuable so that they can give back to the community.

Ron thanked Jeanne Meyers (MY HERO Director and Co-Founder) and Wendy Milette for all their hard work over the past 20 years and finished with an impassioned speech to the audience:

The last thing I want to say tonight is we all understand these are difficult times and there will be difficult times ahead. I want to just remind you of a few things. I want you in the days ahead, in the weeks ahead, to celebrate your democracy, your precious democracy. I want you to celebrate it. I want you to always remember you are citizens of this country and you have rights. You have a right. You have a right to raise your voice. You have a right to speak out. You have a right to go to the streets if necessary. You have a right to assemble peacefully and non-violently. And no one no one can stop you from doing that. Take the example of these two men and others like them and Homeboys Industry. Have the courage…Don't Ever forget this precious democracy that we grew, that we honor and so many have given their lives and sacrificed on behalf of this great country that we live in. Let's keep it together. Let's always remember that this country is nothing without the people. The people are the real power in this country. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Dima’s film also won the Relationships First Award and 1st Place College Documentary. Said Wendy Milette, Film Festival Director, “Your powerful film captures a remarkable story of transformation. Father Greg Boyle is a hero worthy of recognition, and Grillo’s story is captivating and inspiring.”

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYRon and Dima

Dima previously spoke to MY HERO about his motivation to make the film:

The idea for Grillo came from my passion for highlighting the transformative power of reentry programs like Homeboy Industries. As both a social worker and a filmmaker, I’ve seen how these programs help individuals break the cycle of recidivism. David “Grillo’s” story stood out to me because of his long journey through incarceration and his eventual redemption, thanks largely to Homeboy Industries and Father Boyle’s mentorship. The film was initially a university assignment as part of a media documentary class by Professor Rafael Angulo where we were tasked with creating films from the perspective of social workers. One of the grand challenges in social work is to promote smart decarceration (as outlined here: Promote Smart Decarceration), and my research led me to experts in the field, incorporating quotes from them into the film. The assignment not only earned me an ‘A’ but also ignited a new passion for filmmaking.

Read the full interview with Dima here: myhero.com/dima-puchkarev-wins-3-awards-at-the-my-hero-film-festival

Read more about Father Greg Boyle and Home Boy Industries here: /father-greg-boyle-of-homeboy-industries