WHAT I SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES won several awards and was the official selection of over 30 film festivals.

Leslie was honored to have the Litchfield Hills Film Festival (formerly Kent Film Festival) name an award after her and her film. Filmmakers at the Litchfield Hills Film, Connecticut, who are reconized for OUTSTANDING WORK IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING, will now be granted "THE HOPE AWARD"-named for Leslie Hope, the director of WHAT I SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES, Kent Film Festival Winner, Best Short Documentary 2008.

WHAT I SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES was invited to screen as part of the 10th anniversary of “V-Day” (an event which celebrates women and children, and sponsors an end to violence against both), alongside event supporters like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and Salma Hayek.

In October of 2012, the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore will open The Art of Story Telling. The museum's 18th, yearlong, thematic exhibition explores the impact of story via visual narratives. WHAT I SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES will screen as part of this year-long exhibition, and additionally 20 of the life-sized self-portraits created by the Cambodian children in conjunction with the making of the film, will be shown as part of this fantastic exhibit.

WHAT I SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES has been sold to Moviola, The Short Film Channel.

WHAT I SEE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES has been recognized in the Documentary and Short Documentary categories at the following Film Festivals.

Winner, Best Short Documentary
Kent Film Festival

Winner, Best Documentary
Humboldt Film Festival

Winner, Best Documentary
HD Fest

Honorable Mention, Best Documentary 
The Accolade Competition

Honorable Mention, Best Documentary
Bayou City Inspirational Film Fest

Honorable Mention, Chris Award
Film Council of Greater Columbus

Nominee, Best Short Documentary
Digital Video and Hi-Def Festival

Nominee, Best Documentary
Danville Int’l Children’s Festival

Nominee, Best Documentary
Int’l Film Festival South Africa

Nominee, 2008 Best Award
KIDSFIRST!

Nominee, Best Short Documentary
Baltimore Women's Film Festival

Listen to the Interview courtesy of citizenreporter.org