You know what your BEST FRIEND IN COLLEGE HAD FOR LUNCH TODAY.
You have no idea HOW THEY REALLY FEEL.
ThESE ARE THE STORIES of what happens when Generation X stops scrolling, and starts CONNECTING.
before we are all GONE.
We Are The Last Analog Generation
61% of adults aged 45-60 feel seriously lonely
73% of Generation X have "lost track of" meaningful friendships
We're the only generation that remembers what connection felt like before algorithms
We grew up without the internet.
We're the only generation that will, in the prime years of our lives, straddle the juxtaposition of purity of a time gone by, and the new modality of connection.
BUT We're running out of time.
"Get in weirdo!" WAS THE FIRST THING SHE SAID TO ME IN 30 YEARS WHILE OPENING THE CAR DOOR TO LET ME IN.
absolutely nothing had changed. It was like we had just parted WAYS the night before at the college corner bar.
SOCIAL MEDIA FEIGNS CONNECTION - BUT COMES BETWEEN US
After years of scrolling past my college friend Amy's Facebook posts, I grew tired of the assumption that we were "connected."
Social media had given us the illusion of connection while we were actually drifting further apart. The depth of conversation, the emotional honesty, the genuine presence – none of that exists in the digital space.
I decided we should see each other face to face after 30 years, and I would document the reunion. I flew to Downtown Island in Knoxville, TN and met her there. It was an incredible experience - one I now want to give others, and document to encourage more to do the same.
The first episode is done, and for the next episode, Amy is choosing who she would like to reconnect with, and we will go together to document that experience. Then, that person will do the same, and so on.
Isn’t that how the algorithm should really work?
That reunion sparked a calling: Help others experience this.
Who would you reconnect with?
“Prior to Our Departure” is a short form documentary series following real reunions of Generation X friends who haven't seen each other in years - in decades.
I am a private pilot and documentary filmmaker. Using aviation to reach small airports across America, I facilitate reconnections that otherwise would likely never happen.
We only have one life, one big trip, one bridge to cross.
How many years do we have left?
Aren't some of these relationships worth nurturing?
WATCH THE FIRST EPISODE THAT STARTED THIS WHOLE IDEA
Join The Movement
Nominate Someone for Reconnection
Nominate Someone for Reconnection
Do you know someone who needs to reconnect with an old friend?
Submit their story and I will consider documenting their reunion for the series.
Support Authentic Connection
Help me create more episodes and facilitate more life-changing reunions.
Every contribution brings another story to life.
Commission Your Own Reunion
Want me to document your personal reconnection story?
I offer full reunion facilitation and documentation services.
Disclaimer: Transportation is incidental to the filmmaking and is not for hire.
About
Brian Siskind
Nashville-based documentary filmmaker, pilot, and the voice behind this movement. After realizing a midlife dream by learning to fly at 49, Brian combines aviation access with emotional storytelling to create what he calls "contemplative documentaries about authentic human experience."
Co-host of the Midlife Pilot Podcast and author of "Make Small Corrections: Essays on Flying Legacy, Aviation Adventure, and Midlife Transformation."
The Time is Now
"I'm not totally sure what I'm exploring with this project, but it felt clear enough to begin. When I explain what I'm doing to others, I kind of fumble through it and hope something sticks. But I think if I create many more of these pieces with different people, some larger tapestry will appear. We're documenting more than individual reunions – we're capturing a cultural moment where an entire generation must choose between digital convenience and authentic connection."
Brian Siskind