About the Film, the Crew & Funders
RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 34 mins
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Canada
RELEASE: Fall 2021
SYNOPSIS | Not About Me is a feature documentary about good intentions and unintended consequences. When Morgan Wienberg, a well-meaning Canadian teenager, volunteers at a Haitian orphanage in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, her plans take a turn. She is part of an army of NGOs and volunteers with billions in promised aid, all rushing to respond to the disaster. But once on the ground, she begins to see their earnest actions have their own devastating impacts.
Determined to make a more lasting difference, Morgan stays in Haiti to find a better way to help children and their families. Over the next decade, Morgan challenges her own perceptions and privilege to become a more meaningful partner to Haitians working to build a better future. This is Morgan’s story. But it’s also about the rest of us, rethinking how we help and give.
Voices
Not About Me features interviews with Haitian authorities, orphanage survivors and experts on global development and social justice issues who challenge audiences to listen, learn and transform how we help and give.
MORGAN WIENBERG
Director, Co-founder
Little Footprints Big Steps
ELUXON TASSEY
Orphanage Survivor
Child Rights Advocate
WILNER NOEL
Former Orphanage Worker
Family Outreach Agent
NIGEL FISCHER
UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Haiti 2010-13
ENEL ANDRE
IBESR (Haitian Social Services)
* formerly
ALEXANDER CHRISTOPOULOS
Deputy Chief Executive
Lumos Foundation
* formerly
NICOLAS JOSEPH
Staff Manager
Little Footprints Big Steps
BEAUVIL ROSE MYRTHA
Orphanage Survivor
Small Business Owner
ODYANNE LORADAIN
Orphanage Survivor
College Student
YSAAC JEUDY
Former Street Child
Solar Power Mechanic
CHLOE SETTER
Head of Policy
Lumos Foundation
* formerly
BERTRAND MERIDIEN
Regional Director, South
IBESR (Haitian Social Services)
Meet our crew
Kelly Milner
PRODUCER, WRITER, DIRECTOR — Kelly is an award-winning writer, director and producer from Northern Canada. A trained journalist, she likes to focus on stories that explore issues and ideas that matter. She has directed and produced two award-winning shorts SHIFT and Camera Trap. She lives in Whitehorse with her husband and two daughters. Not About Me is her first feature documentary. shotinthedarkmedia.com
David C. Hamelin
CO-PRODUCER, WRITER, EDITOR — David is a graduate of the UVIC Creative Writing Program, Langara Film Arts and National Film Institute. He spent several years working in community television and in 2016 started working as a freelancer. He is now a founding partner at Outpost 31 Media. He has collaborated with Kelly on numerous projects, including their awardwinning documentary, SHIFT. outpost31
Amy Lennon
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, DIGITAL PRODUCER — Amy has worked as a senior interactive producer at Knowledge Network and Cinecoup Media where she created digital funding platforms for the CineCoup Film Accelerator, TELUS Storyhive and CBC ComedyCoup. Kelly and Amy met at journalism school over 20 years ago. Not About Me is their first professional collaboration. amylennon.com
Marty O’Brien
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY — After gaining industry experience and shooting for a range of production companies in Melbourne, Australia, Marty relocated to the wilds of Canada’s Yukon to pursue his true passion for advocacy through storytelling. A talented cinematographer and adventurer, Marty’s first award-winning documentary Camera Trap, was produced by Kelly Milner. They have collaborated on several other projects. midnightlight.ca
Naomi Mark
FIELD DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION ASSISTANT — Naomi has spent the majority of her twenties working in film and television. With a passion for people and discovering new places, Naomi takes great pleasure in sharing the stories she finds with audiences around the world. She recently released her first feature documentary How to Bee. midnightlight.ca
Michael Code
DRONE OPERATOR, SOUND RECORDIST — Michael is a cinematographer and aerial cinematographer based in Whitehorse, Yukon. An experienced wilderness filmmaker, Michael is looking to transition into producing and directing his own documentary films. Growing up in Northern Manitoba and Yukon, he has lived in the North for much of his life with brief stints in Norway for university.
Duples Plymouth
CINEMATOGRAPHER, DRONE OPERATOR — Duples is a cinematographer and photographer based in Les Cayes, Haiti. Originally trained as a lawyer, he became enamoured with photography and now focuses on cultural journalism and social commentary, capturing moments from Haiti’s diverse music, culture and political scenes as well as intimate moments between families and friends. He has worked for a variety of political groups and NGOs as well as providing support for documentary film crews. INSTAGRAM: @duplesplymouthphotography
Jamie Johnson
CINEMATOGRAPHER — Jamie is a multimedia producer based out of Ithaca, New York. In 2011-12 he took time off his undergraduate studies to travel to Haiti with his friend Chris Dennis to document Morgan's initial attempts to launch Little Footprints Big Steps. With the complicated story far from over, Jamie went back to school with dreams of returning to Haiti to finish the project but was unable to do so. Passionate about getting the story told, Jamie gave his footage first to Ryan Sheetz and then to Kelly Milner. He now works as a media producer for the Cornell Small Farms Program.
Ryan Sheetz
CINEMATOGRAPHER — Ryan went to Haiti as a film student in 2014-15 with the idea of making a documentary about Morgan and her attempts to raise awareness about the orphanage industry. His footage from Haiti and Miami helped expand Morgan’s story. Three years later, he agreed to share his footage with Kelly Milner for Not About Me. Ryan is a producer, director, cinematographer and editor in Denver Colorado. basiscreativefilm.com
Gary Bremner
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER — Gary has extensive experience photographing both industrial and commercial projects. Whether he’s in an underground mine, on top of rope access locations, or working with elders on their traditional land, Gary is known for his knack for putting people at ease and capturing them authentically. gbpcreative.ca
Brianne Bremner
ASSOCIATE DIGITAL PRODUCER — Brianne has a background in health behaviour change, social determinants and social marketing. She brings years of campaign and community engagement experience as well as the skills to manage changing schedules, tight timelines and all of the moving parts involved in large project coordination. gbpcreative.ca
Additional Filming
Chris Dennis (Haiti, 2011-2012)
Cal Hopwood (Haiti, 2014)
David Hamelin (Whitehorse, 2018-19)
Al Code (Toronto, 2019)
Keith Partridge (London, 2019)
Alex Chan, Lindsey Blaine (Vancouver, 2019)
Photo by Edward Addeo for HAND/EYE.
Jerry Moïse Rosembert
GRAFFITI ARTIST, FILM POSTER — In the aftermath of Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Jerry Moïse Rosembert‘s graffiti murals became recognized for their bold statements about life in Haiti. His art depicts the realities of Haitians navigating natural disasters, violence, education, international aid, politics and poverty with sensitivity, creativity and humour that celebrates the Haitian spirit. We are grateful to have partnered with Jerry to use an image from a mural he created in 2010 for Not About Me’s poster. To find out more about Jerry and his work, visit Jerry’s FACEBOOK.
