Ep 218: Anna Toomey: Fighting for Dyslexic Students in Left Behind

Filmmaking Conversations Podcast with Damien Swaby

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Anna Toomey, an Emmy Award-winning producer with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Anna has worked with major outlets like ABC News, Good Morning America, and Peter Jennings Reporting, creating powerful, character-driven stories with passion and integrity. Her notable credits include The Gun Fight, an Emmy Award-winning deep dive into the National Rifle Association, and the critically acclaimed The Beatles Anthology.
As the director of the powerful documentary Left Behind, Anna shares the inspiring journey of a group of determined mothers who fought to open New York City’s first public school for dyslexic children. Through their struggle against a system that neglected over 200,000 students, the film highlights the personal and institutional challenges they faced, and the political obstacles they overcame.
Stay tuned as we discuss the impact of this film and the ongoing fight for educational equality.
Guest: Anna Toomey, Director of Left Behind
Highlights:

• Anna’s career as an Emmy-winning producer with credits including The Gun Fight and The Beatles Anthology
• The making of Left Behind: A documentary about the fight to establish NYC's first public school for dyslexic children
• The impact of the film and its role in advocating for change in the education system
• The collaboration with key team members like David Beal, Sian Edwards Beal, and Juju Chang
• Anna's work with Sandy Dog Productions and her commitment to telling compelling, socially relevant stories

Resources:

• Left Behind at DOC NYC
• Support the film’s Impact Campaign for dyslexia awareness

https://www.leftbehindthefilm.com