A busy life of work can be distracting. The independent film “Sneakers and Soul,” co-written by alumnus Marty Buccafusco, shines a spotlight on the bonds that matter most in life.

“You can’t make it alone in this world; you really need the people around you,” said Buccafusco, who majored in telecommunications at the University. “Whether you’re the most gung-ho, determined person, or just want to fly by the seat of your pants, you’ll be so much stronger when you have those people to support you.”

Now showing in film festivals throughout the country, “Sneakers and Soul” follows the apathetic and burned-out New Jersey lawyer Johnny-boy Bailey (Billy Fenderson).

Bailey has a close relationship with his father, who leaves him a pair of blue sneakers and key to a peculiar apartment in New York City after his death.

With his inheritance, Bailey is inspired to follow in his father’s adventurous footsteps and discover new direction in his life.

“The story is made up of the heroic images of Jon’s [Zelenak, director, producer, co-writer, editor] grandfather and my father. His grandfather passed two months after shooting, in 2008. We finished the movie in the summer of 2009,” Buccafusco said. “My father passed in March 2009. [Fortunately, my father was able] to share in the first success of the movie, as we got it to film festival. We used those tragedies to do something great.”

With his best friend Ace Cooper, played by SJ Hannah, Bailey decides to walk to this apartment in New York from his home in New Jersey.

With this simple premise, “Sneakers and Soul” was able to be self-financed by its writers and producers.

The budget for the film was a meager $60,000, compared to the normal $300,000 to $600,000 spent on some indie films.

“In the end, our goal was to make film that looks like it cost $500,000 to $5 million,” Buccafusco said. “We want to show that you don’t need that kind of money to make a movie with heart and soul.”

Buccafusco said he still uses many of the tricks he was taught by University professors like Nate Kohn and David Hazinski to help him make his film look professional — without the big studio price tag.

The process it took to create the film strengthened the connections amongst the producers, cast and crew members. Everyone stayed in Zelenak’s parents’ four-bedroom home in Cape May, New Jersey.

“Bonding with SJ through Jonathan’s little ‘social experiment’ helped me find something sincere in my relationship with SJ. I don’t think I would have been able to find that any other way,” Fenderson said.

Living like artistic paupers developed everyone’s trust in each other.

“This movie is about relationship, friendships and the power of the human spirit,” Buccafusco said. “You can tell a story of personal triumph without spending wads of cash. I think that makes your movie a lot more honest.”