News correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp embark on a multi-year journey documenting the empty bedrooms of children lost to school shootings, laying bare the realities of forgotten families grappling with grief and loss.
Remember.
Synopsis
ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS follows veteran CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they embark on a seven-year-long project to document the empty bedrooms of children killed in school shootings. Hartman steps away from his heartwarming human interest stories and, unbeknownst to his network’s bosses, pursues a piece on absence, memory, and the unseen ripples of America's gun violence epidemic. As these senseless incidents claim more young lives than any other cause in America, these quiet bedrooms reveal truths more powerful than statistics ever could.
This film is dedicated to:
Alyssa Alhadeff
Age 14
Killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting on February 14, 2018, in Parkland, Florida.
Charlotte Bacon
Age 6
Killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut.
Dominic Blackwell
Age 14
Killed in the Saugus High School Shooting on November 14, 2019, in Santa Clarita, California.
Jackie Cazares
Age 9
Killed in the Robb Elementary School Shooting on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.
Luke Hoyer
Age 15
Killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting on February 14, 2018, in Parkland, Florida.
Gracie Muehlberger
Age 15
Killed in the Saugus High School Shooting on November 14, 2019, in Santa Clarita, California.
Carmen Schentrup
Age 16
Killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting on February 14, 2018, in Parkland, Florida.
Hallie Scruggs
Age 9
Killed in the Covenant School Shooting on March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Creative Team
Joshua Seftel
Director
Academy Award nominee Joshua Seftel is known for Stranger at the Gate, executive produced by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, and documentaries for HBO, POV, New York Times Op-Docs, The New Yorker, and This American Life.
Conall Jones
Producer
Academy Award nominee Conall Jones produced Seftel’s Stranger at the Gate. He's also known for Fahrenheit 11/9, Super Size Me 2, and Inside Man.
James Costa
Producer
Peabody-winning producer James Costa is known for Queendom, The Dating Game (nominated for a Sundance Grand Jury Prize), Apocalypse in the Tropics, and The Bend in the River.
Trevor Burgess
Producer
Emmy-nominated producer Trevor Burgess is known for Beirut Dreams in Color, Under the Flags, Sun, and The White House Effect.
Erin Casper
Editor
Emmy-nominated editor Erin Casper is known for Academy Award-nominated Fire of Love, Sundance-winning American Promise, and The Last of the Sea Women.
Steve Maing
Editor
Emmy-winning director and editor Stephen Maing is known for Crime + Punishment (Sundance Special Jury Award), The Keepers, UNION, and Look Into My Eyes.
Jeremy Medoff
Editor
Editor Jeremy Medoff is known for his work on Seftel's Academy Award-nominated Stranger at the Gate and The Fisherman.
Matt Porwoll
DOP
Emmy and Sundance-winning cinematographer Matt Porwoll is known for Cartel Land, Academy Award-Winning Crisis Hotline, Tigerland, and Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything.
Alex Somers
Music
Composer and musician Alex Somers is known for his duo Jonsi & Alex and has produced music for Sigur Rós. His film work includes Academy Award-nominated, Sundance-winning Hale County This Morning, This Evening, along with Nickel Boys, Captain Fantastic, and Miss Americana.
Peter Albrechtsen
Sound Designer
Award-winning sound designer Peter Albrechtsen is known for The Cave, The Territory, and Viktor. He has worked with top directors including Werner Herzog, Christopher Nolan, Lauren Greenfield, Feras Fayyad, and Niels Arden Oplev.
Adam McKay
Kevin Messick
Steve Kerr
Rev. Dr. Conrad Fischer, MD
Roy and Mary Judelson
Phil and Cheryl Milstein
Geralyn Dreyfous
Regina K. Scully
Melony and Adam Lewis
Claire Aguilar
Lisa Cortés
Sigrid Dyekjær
Anna Bick Rowe
Jon Levin
Kim Magnusson
Eric Nichols
Executive Producers
Co-Producers
Avi Bond
Michael J. Gray
Sarah McCarthy
Matt Porwoll
Consulting Producers
Dr. Chethan Sathya, MD
Fred Guttenberg
Jody Snider
Ilene Gutman
Erika Frankel
Co-Executive Producer
Chelsea Noll-McClintock
“One of the best shorts I’ve seen in years.”
— David Nugent, HamptonsFilm
“A portrait of America, of humanity.”
— Alexander Payne
“A gut punch and very powerful.”
— Adam McKay
Press
Screenings
Take Action
ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS is more than a film; it’s a call to action. As we honor the children and families featured, we’re reminded of the lasting impact of school shootings and gun violence on communities across America. Together, we stand with organizations remembering those lost and supporting those left behind. Join us in working toward #NoMoreEmptyRooms through advocacy, policy, public safety, and community violence intervention. Every step matters.
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