SOUFRA FOLLOWS THE UNLIKELY AND WILDLY INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF INTREPID SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR, MARIAM SHAAR – A GENERATIONAL REFUGEE WHO HAS SPENT HER ENTIRE LIFE IN THE BURJ EL BARAJNEH REFUGEE CAMP JUST SOUTH OF BEIRUT, LEBANON.

Budget: $600,000 (US)
Film Effect: Preschool built in the Burj El Barajneh camp in Lebanon and over $800K raised to support it over the next 10 years

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Soufra was released in 2017 to international acclaim, screening in over 45 film festivals and receiving 9 awards.

The film has brought much deserved attention to Mariam Shaar, a generational refugee who has spent her entire life in the Burj El Barajneh refugee camp just south of Beirut, Lebanon. The film follows Mariam as she sets out against all odds to change her fate by launching a successful catering company, “Soufra,” and then expand it into a food truck business with a diverse team of fellow refugee woman who now share this camp as their home.

Through the film screenings and the Soufra Cookbook, which we published in collaboration with the women of the Soufra food truck, we were able to help build the Nawras Preschool in the refugee camp and raise over $300K for the ongoing support of the school.

Even before the production was completed, we used the footage to engage BILD hilft e.V. „Ein Herz für Kinder“ out of Germany and received a grant to build a children’s center inside the camp—the first time in known history that a grant was ever given to build structure inside a refugee camp. The film community created through NWaiting for Mamu and Storied Streets were also vital at the end to getting the Kickstarter funding finish line for the food truck.

Since the film’s premiere in the United States, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with features in the likes of Variety Magazine, The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times and more.

The film is accompanied by the launch of a cookbook, also titled Soufra. Not only does this cookbook share some of the most treasured recipes that changed the lives of the Soufra women, but it also will give back to the families at the camp. The women of Soufra, through WPA, are full partners in the publication of this book. They will share equally in proceeds from its sales, which will contribute to the ongoing development of the camp’s Children’s Center and to building a school for the children in the camp. Since its launch, the cookbook has been reviewed by renowned chefs like Jamie Oliver and Anita Lo.

“A stirring tale of empowerment.”

— New York Times

IMAGINE, AT FIVE YEARS OLD, YOU ARE SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR 13 YEARS. YOU HAVE NO ACCESS TO YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS, TO AN EDUCATION, TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD OR TO SOCIETY. THIS DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM SHARES THE STORY OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR A CHILD TO GROW UP IN PRISON AND YET FIND HOPE IN UNLIKELY PLACES THROUGH THE STORY OF PUSHPA BASNET, FOUNDER OF THE BUTTERFLY HOME AND WINNER OF THE 2012 CNN HERO OF THE YEAR IN 2012 AND THE CNN SUPERHERO AWARD IN 2016.

Budget: $150,000 (US)
Money Raised: $1.45 million (US)
Film’s Effect: Built an orphanage in Nepal, and then re-built it when the earthquake destroyed 80% of it

In 2012 Thomas Morgan started filming Pushpa Basnet when she was 1 of 45,000 CNN Hero nominees. With initial clips he was able to create and excite a global community to spread the word. They voted, she won.

Throughout the filming we saw the struggle that Pushpa faced keeping her housing. We watched as her landlord found out that the kids in the home were prison children and threatened eviction. We set out to use the film to create a global audience to solve this problem. With every screening we held a fundraiser and gave people the opportunity to get involved and help. In 20 months after the film’s release, the 4 building “Butterfly Home” was nearly ready to open—a boy’s dorm, girl’s dorm, administration and classrooms, house for Pushpa and newly released mothers. But the excitement was dashed when the worst earthquake in the history of Nepal took down nearly 60% of the structures. With our film community intact, we went back to them—this time giving everyone access to the film so that they could hold small fundraisers around the world.

Within 9 month’s time we had raised the funds to complete the Butterfly Home, having raised $1.45 million on the back of this film and the community it was able to gather. The community continues to support Pushpa and her work—long after we have gone.

“One of the most beautiful and hopeful stories I've ever seen.”

— Morgan Spurlock, Filmmaker

STORIED STREETS EXPLORES HOMELESSNESS ACROSS AMERICA BY TELLING THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO LIVE IT EVERY DAY. THE DOCUMENTARY FILM PROFILES THE HOMELESS AND THE FORMERLY HOMELESS AND THEIR STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE. THEIR STORIES ARE REAL, RAW AND COMPELLING. THE FILM WILL PROVIDE A WINDOW INTO THEIR STRUGGLES, QUESTION STEREOTYPES AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.

Budget: $220,000 (US)
Film’s Effect: Catalyst for 5 laws changed in the US and construction of 2 emergency shelters
Estimated value of effect: $1.5 million (US) (based on quotes from lobbyists)

Thomas Morgan’s film brought the reality of the homeless issue to the forefront in a way that had never been done before. With almost 400 hours of footage, we were able to find many new and creative programs across the country and become a knowledge hub for communities struggle for solutions. Thomas spoke to the US Congress twice, once to screen the film and offer a candid discussion of the issues and a second time to address the issue regarding the violence against the homeless and the need to make it a hate crime. In 2014 we worked through the National Coalition for the Homeless and used the film to kick off Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week—screening the film at over 700 college campuses and organizations across the US and in Canada.

We have used the film to create understanding—engaging both the homeless community and local government as part of panel discussions. Such discussions have lead to the changing of 5 laws in the US and the construction of 2 new emergency shelters. The film, after 3 years still resonates as we it screens across the country at state housing organizations and universities.