About the Film
No Time to Waste celebrates legendary 98-year-old park ranger Betty Reid Soskin's inspiring life, work and urgent mission to restore critical missing chapters of America’s story. The film follows her journey as an African American woman presenting her personal story from a kitchen stool in a national park theater to media interviews and international audiences who hang on every word she utters.
The documentary captures her fascinating life -- from the experiences of a young Black woman in a WWII segregated union hall, through her multi-faceted career as a singer, activist, mother, legislative representative and park planner to her present public role.
At the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Betty illuminates the invisible histories of African Americans and other people of color. Her efforts have changed the way the National Park Service conveys this history to audiences across the U.S., challenging us all to move together toward a more perfect union.
52 Minutes • Documentary
“The history that I have lived it was nowhere in sight. Not one minute of it. The opportunity to insert the African American stories is what the park became to me.”
The Making of the Film
Acutely aware of the urgency of capturing Betty Soskin’s personal and public magic, Rosie the Riveter Trust (official nonprofit partner of NPS), the National Park Service (NPS), and Digital Story Company (Carl Bidleman and Doug McConnell) began filming Betty’s presentations at the national park, her other public appearances and more in order to capture her story in a documentary film that would inspire others to share their stories.
Credits
Director — Carl Bidleman
Director of Photography — Stefan Ruenzel
Executive Producers — Marsha Mather-Thrift and Doug McConnell
Script & Story Advisor — Caitlin Stanco
Story Consultants — Tom Leatherman and Kelli English
Motion Graphics and Color Grading — Polar Productions
Funders
The film was made possible thanks to support from:
Berkeley Film Foundation
East Bay Community Foundation
East Bay Fund for Artists
Kaiser Permanente
Karen Bals Family Fund
National Parks Conservation Association
And the wonderful individuals and families who
contributed to the Betty Fund and the Betty Film Fund
ORDER THE FILM
No Time to Waste is available for classroom, library or community use. Order the film from our distributor, Bullfrog Films