Food Broker

“food broker“ official trailer

A short documentary about feeding underserved people in Los Angeles.

Who deserves to be seen? 

As filmmakers, we actively grapple with this question—who do we film? 

This decision is a weighty one. There is a deep significance to deciding who becomes a public face and who will remain closed away and out of sight. Fundamentally, the act of filming is an act of judgment.  Who is worth my time? The audience’s? 

In countless small ways, all people answer similar questions every day. Our eyes flit between others on the streets of Los Angeles. But who catches our attention and what makes us look more closely?

Food Broker turns the camera towards people who have often been overlooked. Our subjects - Doris and Rosa - are far from others shown on a silver screen, being neither well-known nor regarded as particularly successful. But we decided to look at these two ladies for a simple reason: they never looked away.

For over 50 years, Doris Presley has been providing meals to homeless people throughout Los Angeles. She offered more than just spare change while on her way to an important meeting. Doris actively sought out those who society had forgotten and devoted her life to them. This simple act of sight and acknowledgement cemented Doris as more than just a volunteer. She became family to people who needed one most. 

Similar to Doris, Rosa Roman has dedicated her life to the service of others. A gifted chef, Rosa chose not to open a restaurant of own, but rather to spend her days in a church kitchen offering food and comfort to those in need.  She looks them in the eyes, provides warm food, and acts as a familial embrace for people who would otherwise live in solitude. 

While Doris and Rosa have committed their lives to helping the unseen, they themselves have often gone unnoticed. Being elderly, women of color, and disabled, Doris and Rosa both fall into categories of people whom our society has chosen not to see. We hope to rectify this disservice through our film by crafting an intimate portrait of Doris and Rosa and their ideals. 

They deserve to be seen.

Hopefully, you will look at them.