'Ileana’s Smile' Idaho premiere Saturday

The North Idaho Film Festival will co-host the Idaho premiere Saturday of “Ileana’s Smile” with director Brad Corrigan, musician and founding member of the American indie-folk band Dispatch.

This will be the festival's first collaboration with Corrigan, who now lives in North Idaho. The film follows Corrigan’s personal story in Nicaragua, beginning in 2007 with his fateful encounter with Ileana, a young girl struggling to survive with her family in a trash dump community. So moved by what he saw, these experiences compelled Corrigan to embark on a multi-decade journey to give these children a voice and hopefully a future beyond such harsh living conditions.

These efforts led to the founding of the nonprofit Love Light + Melody, which helps vulnerable children through education, art, sports, scholarship programs and collaboration with community leaders.

“When I first met Ileana, her family and the community surrounding them, I tried to capture our interactions in my journals and on my camera because I couldn't process what I saw," Corrigan said in a news release. "I also wanted to build a platform for Ileana to speak and share her own story. Although it has taken me almost 10 years to complete this project and she is gone, her smile and legacy are still with us."

He said he is excited to share this story and hopes the film will inspire others as it draws attention to the challenges faced by vulnerable children around the globe.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Innovation Collective, 418 E. Lakeside Ave., Coeur d'Alene. The event will include a red carpet, complimentary refreshments and Q and A with Corrigan. It will be followed by an exclusive afterparty to raise funds for Love Light + Melody.

Tickets are $26. Visit noidff.com for details.

Info: lovelightandmelody.org