Imagine walking into a child’s bedroom, untouched since the day they left for school—never to return. This is the haunting reality captured in All the Empty Rooms, an Oscar-shortlisted documentary that lays bare the devastating aftermath of school shootings in the United States. Purple hair ties dangling from a doorknob, SpongeBob plush toys neatly arranged on a bed, unicorn figurines, a Champion hoodie, charm bracelets, and seashells—these are the relics of childhoods abruptly ended. For the parents left behind, these rooms are sacred spaces, frozen in time, where the presence of their children still lingers. But here’s where it gets even more heart-wrenching: the documentary, directed by Joshua Seftel, doesn’t just show these spaces—it amplifies the voices of parents who refuse to let their children be forgotten.
‘For the parents, all of them agreed to participate because they live to tell the story of their children,’ Seftel shared during a Q&A in Los Angeles. ‘They want to ensure their children are never erased from memory. Our missions were perfectly aligned.’ This powerful collaboration began with CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman, known for his heartfelt stories, but whose attention has increasingly turned to a darker subject: the alarming rise in school shootings. Since Hartman first reported on a school shooting in 1997, the number has skyrocketed from 17 to 132 per year—a statistic that’s as chilling as it is infuriating.
All the Empty Rooms follows Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they visit the homes of children lost to this epidemic. Bopp, invited by the parents, captures the intimate details of these bedrooms with profound respect. It’s the small, everyday items that often speak the loudest—a toothpaste tube left uncapped, a reminder of a child who rushed off to school, thinking, ‘I’ll fix that later,’ but never returned. Bopp’s reverence is palpable; he removes his shoes before entering each room, ensuring he doesn’t disturb a single item. ‘They trusted us,’ he said. ‘I did everything I could to honor that trust.’
Seftel’s approach to filmmaking mirrors this respect. ‘We wanted a very light footprint,’ he explained. Keeping the crew small, using zoom lenses instead of primes to avoid interruptions, and prioritizing the parents’ stories above all else. ‘We tried to connect with the parents, listen to their stories, and let that guide us,’ he added. And this is the part most people miss: the film deliberately avoids political debates over gun rights, choosing instead to focus on the human cost. ‘The word ‘gun’ is never said in this film,’ Seftel noted. ‘We didn’t want anything that would give someone a reason to turn it off.’
But here’s the controversial part: Is it enough to simply humanize the victims without addressing the systemic issues that allow these tragedies to happen? Seftel argues that by stripping away the politics, the film creates a space for universal agreement: no child should die at school. Yet, some might argue that avoiding the word ‘gun’ risks sidestepping the root cause of the problem. What do you think? Does focusing on the victims’ stories dilute the call for action, or does it strengthen it by appealing to our shared humanity?
All the Empty Rooms is now streaming on Netflix and has already garnered accolades, including Best Documentary Short at the Cinema Eye Honors. With executive producers like Lisa Cortés, Adam McKay, and even NBA coach Steve Kerr, the film is a testament to the power of storytelling. But beyond the awards, it’s a call to remember—and to act. Because every empty room is a reminder of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a society that must do better. What will it take for us to ensure no more bedrooms are left frozen in time?
