My name is Kayci Lacob, and I was born in the heart of Silicon Valley, right in the center of a world transformed by Apple’s Co-Creator, CEO and co-founder, Steve Jobs. Growing up, I was enthralled by how Jobs shaped my life — through the tech (iPads, iPhones) we used (and where we bought it, the cool Apple Stores!), the music we loved (iTunes), and the groundbreaking animated films (PIXAR) that seemed to speak directly to me, and entertained me countless times as I watched MONSTERS, INC. and other masterpieces over and over and over and over again…

For better or for worse, Silicon Valley became indelibly imprinted on me. It shaped how I saw the world, as hometowns often do. EVERYTHING TO ME is a deeply personal movie about my millennial generation, especially young women, and our tech-fueled, specifically Apple-influenced, journeys. This movie is about the pressure to be exceptional, the fear of being ordinary, and the weird, messy space in between where most of us actually live. I wanted to make a film for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re supposed to have a master plan for life…long before they’ve had a chance to figure out who they even are. At its core, EVERYTHING TO ME is about a young girl who’s trying to navigate life’s challenges — her parents’ marriage falling apart, her mother’s health struggles, puberty, a tragedy at school — without losing her way. Amidst it all, Steve Jobs’ outsized personality and accomplishments becomes her inspiring, guiding light, to the point of an unhealthy, but quite relatable, obsession. What teenager doesn’t sometimes become a slave to intense, paralyzing, profound, and spectacular obsession?

EVERYTHING TO ME is a love letter to the resilience of a generation and to every young person seeking to find their true voice, no matter what the circumstances. I’ve changed a lot since Jobs’ death, and look back at my childhood with a bittersweet nostalgia. I admire those who embrace the quiet strength it takes to grow beyond what feels like an inescapable fate, towards a more fulfilling destiny.

EVERYTHING TO ME is a movie for anyone who’s ever been uncertain, for anyone who’s ever felt left out, and for anyone who’s ever realized that maybe, just maybe, they don’t need a master plan to be successful — they just need to be themselves!