Rebel of the Week: Rina Goldberg, A Young Girl Whose Dying Wish To Make A Movie Is Coming True

March 28th, 2012

Rina Goldberg passed away in December of 2010 at just 15 years old, a victim of Mitochondrial Disease, a genetic disorder that prevents the body’s cells from producing enough energy for the body to function. But even though Rina is no longer with us, her vision, passion, love for life, and creativity live on.

While she struggled against a terminal disease, Rina turned to film as a creative outlet for her energy and passion, writing a script for a movie called “The Magic Bracelet,” whose main character also has Mitochondrial Disease.

In her final days, Rina’s mother, Stacy, says that the fifteen-year-old had only one thing on her mind: her movie. “There came a point close to the end where she didn’t have much of a voice. She looked to me. She said, ‘you promised.’ I told her, ‘absolutely.’” Stacy says her daughter believed that her vision would become a reality: “No matter what anyone told her about the realities of life, she saw [her movie] in the theaters.” It’s that kind of worry-free tenacity, that kind of commitment to a vision, that kind of stubborn refusal to let obstacles or adversities matter that makes Rina a true rebel in our book. And it’s the reason why her movie is going to be made.

With the help of the Make a Film Foundation and Oscar-award-winning writer Diablo Cody, who wrote the Juno screenplay, Rina’s dream is coming true. Her family already hosted an event earlier this month at Gratz College on March 1st to raise money to make the film and to fight mitochondrial disease. “Rina should be here to enjoy it herself,” says her father, Ari. “It’s most definitely bittersweet.”

As Rina worked on her film, she hoped that it would also carry a simple, but important message to others: Dream big, love life, and be positive. As an independent film crew with our own artistic vision, we’re touched by Rina’s story and we can relate to her urge to create a movie to send a message. The fact that she followed her big dreams despite all the adversity and disadvantages that life sent her way is a testament to a spirit that would not be defeated.

Rina, you’re a huge inspiration and our Rebel of  the Week.

And don’t forget to visit our official website to learn more about the Silver Circle Movie:http://SilverCircleMovie.com


About the Author: Wes

Wesley Messamore, 24, is an independent journalist and political activist who believes in the Founding Father's vision of a free, enlightened, and moral America. He also blogs at HumbleLibertarian.com