Ep. 25 - Robert Kendzie, "Depart Not"

Fate, Phantoms & Fortune Cookies

“This is not a documentary. It’s a ghost story. But it’s true.”

That’s how filmmaker Rob Kendzie lures viewers into Depart Not—a deeply personal, hauntingly ambiguous six-minute film premiering at RFN Indie Fest this August. In this raw conversation with guest host MK Martey on the RFN podcast, Kendzie unpacks the emotional and creative journey behind the project: a story based on a real, unsettling event from his youth that still clings to him decades later.

What began as a straightforward documentary morphed into a ghost story about grief, free will, and the quietly devastating weight of unrealized potential. Kendzie discusses the shift in tone, the visual and narrative choices that underscore the film’s themes, and the doubts he wrestled with about even sharing it publicly. “It felt self-indulgent,” he admits, “but it was the only way I could work through what’s been haunting me for 35 years.”

Despite the heavy subject matter, Depart Not manages to spark hope, prompting reflection in viewers of all ages about their own paths, choices, and regrets. With a minimal budget, evocative lighting, and the help of a few Chinese-food-fed college students—including his own son—Kendzie crafts a film that resonates beyond its runtime.

At its heart, Depart Not asks: Are we ever really free? Or are we just passengers on a pre-written path, doomed to circle the same emotional terrain until we make peace with our past? The answer might not be clear, but as Kendzie says, “I still have to act as if I have agency—because what’s the alternative?”