The Starfish Throwers
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Worlds apart, a five-star chef, a twelve year-old girl, and a retired school teacher discover how their individual efforts to feed the poor ignite a movement in the fight against hunger. Award-winning chef Narayanan Krishnan, fighting against the caste system in India, quits his job to begin a life of cooking and hand-delivering fresh meals to hundreds of people in his hometown. Katie Stagliano’s planting of a single cabbage seedling when she was nine years old blossoms into Katie’s Krops, a non-profit with 73 gardens dedicated to ending hunger. Retired middle school teacher Mr. Law battles personal health issues as he hand delivers more than a thousand sandwiches nightly to the hungry in Minneapolis. This documentary tells tale of these remarkable individuals and the unexpected challenges they face. Despite being constantly reminded that hunger is far too big for one person to solve, they persevere and see their impact ripple further than their individual actions.

Awards

• Audience Award, Global Health Competition—Cleveland International Film Festival
• Human Spirit Award—Nashville Film Festival
• Audience Award, Best Documentary—Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
• Jury Award, Best Documentary, MN Made Program—Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
• Best Documentary—Myrtle Beach Film Festival
• Best Overall Film—Myrtle Beach Film Festival

Director's Statement

I began this documentary three and a half years ago when I first heard about a retired teacher who drove around Minneapolis 365 nights a year, giving sandwiches to homeless people out of a van with the words “Love One Another” and his cell phone number stenciled on the door.
Once I began filming with Allan Law, I became instantly amazed and humbled by his dedication to a cause many say is lost. Why was he giving everything to a battle he could never win?

I began to look for other individuals who were fighting that same fight. This search ultimately brought me to Narayanan Krishnan in India and young Katie Stagliano in South Carolina. The intimate access they granted allowed me to witness their intense struggles and beautiful triumphs these last three years. While these three had never met each other prior to my making this film, their selfless efforts for people in need had connected their journeys all along.

The experience has been both humbling and unforgettable. Seeing them reject cynicism and transcend mass apathy with every act of kindness they committed reminded me of the lost idealism of youth. While many of us have put aside some of those innocent dreams of changing the world and making a difference, I believe that sharing these stories will help us all to rediscover our own potential to affect positive change.