The Gig Harbor Film Festival will host the world premiere of the locally produced film Reinventing the Patriot on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Reinventing the Patriot is a 22-minute hybrid documentary and spoken-word superhero story based on Federal Way High School graduate Paige Edmiston’s award-winning essay. With the essay as its spine and narrative, the film tells a new superhero story — a Federal Way superhero story — about the Federal Way High School students who in 2012 led a passionate, eight-month campaign to turn a 15-point electoral loss into a 20-point victory, assuring a $120 million state-of-the-art new school.

Telling student stories of civic heroism also inspired Reinventing the Patriot’s filmmakers to set off on a new adventure. They founded The Sidekick Collective to identify, celebrate and recognize students who, like the Federal Way students, give life to the words in Edmiston’s essay by making right what’s wrong, helping others first, and protecting the vulnerable.

Following the screening, The Sidekick Collective will host a panel of innovative educators who will discuss how we can create the next generation of American superheroes by supporting civic engagement by youth today. Panelists will include former Federal Way Public Schools director of Equity and Achievement Erin Jones and Teachers United Executive Director Chris Eide.

Film producer and Executive Director Paige Edmiston says, “I was so inspired by the civic heroism the Federal Way High School students demonstrated in passing the 2012 levy to rebuild my alma mater.

It was an honor to tell their story through film and I am excited that others will have the opportunity to experience that same inspiration at the Gig Harbor Film Festival. It’s my dream that, through The Sidekick Collective, we will be able to find and tell the stories of other extraordinary young people, like the FWHS students.”

The screening begins at 2 p.m. Oct. 19 at The Galaxy Theater, Theater 10, at 4649 Point Fosdick Drive NW in Gig Harbor.