“That’s why we do what we do.” — Global D.I.R.T., Haiti, 2010
Five years ago, the already-impoverished island country of Haiti was besieged by a terribly destructive earthquake, killing over 200,000 people and leaving the country in desperation. Basic human necessities such as food, water and shelter were immediately scarce, and even though numerous NGOs and humanitarian groups quickly arrived on the ground, aid was slow to reach those most in need in the painful months that followed.
The new documentary Call For Help introduces us to a group of relief workers who took charge, using guerrilla-style tactics to ensure that the donated supplies that entered the country did not sit undistributed, that victims found their way to the medical help they needed. Members of the Global Disaster Immediate Response Team (Global D.I.R.T.) were American, young, renegade, and undeterred by the endless red tape that hindered larger relief organizations; they did not follow the rules, and they made no apologies. Rather, they took advantage of the chaos, flying (mostly) under the radar in their heartfelt attempts to save lives and come to the rescue of the Haitian people.
In making their personal and vérité film, first-time feature directors Michal Hanuka and Lior Etziony were as interested in the relief workers as they were in the work they were doing: What drew them to Haiti? What compelled them to leave everything behind and risk their lives to help? What, if anything, were they running away from? What did they take away from the experience?
In this exclusive clip, Global D.I.R.T. members do what they do best: uncover undistributed water and find a way to get it to the people:
Call For Help opens Friday, February 6, in New York City at the Cinema Village. It premieres on all major digital VOD platforms on Tuesday, February 10. Follow the film on Facebook and Twitter.
Watch the trailer:
Note: A version of this post originally appeared on The Huffington Post.
