(Info from press release)
From National Geographic Documentary Films and the Emmy® Award-Winning Team Behind “Science Fair”
Film Follows Five Young Star Students on Their Journey to Win One of the World’s
Most Prestigious Competitions for Student Entrepreneurs
Following the success of the Emmy Award-winning, Sundance and SXSW audience favorite “Science Fair,” National Geographic Documentary Films and filmmakers Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster are joining forces once again on the feature documentary “Own the Room”, which will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on March 12.
“Own the Room” chronicles five students from disparate corners of the planet as they take their budding business ventures to Macau, China, to compete in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Santosh is from a small farming town in Nepal; Alondra works the register at her family’s bakery in Puerto Rico; Henry is a programming wiz from Nairobi; Jason is a marketing machine from Greece; and Daniela, an immigrant fleeing the crisis in Venezuela, is taking on the chemical industry from her lab at NYU.
In the uplifting film, each of the business hopefuls has overcome immense obstacles in pursuing their dreams, from hurricanes to poverty to civil unrest. As they represent their countries as the top student entrepreneurs, the high-stakes global finals are their opportunity to win worldwide attention and the coveted $100,000 grand prize to make their life-changing business ideas a reality and transform the world.
“Own the Room” is the second film from the Emmy and DuPont Award-winning documentary filmmaking duo and National Geographic Documentary Films for Disney+. “Science Fair,” from Costantini and Foster, made its streaming debut on Disney+ last year when the service launched. Additional Nat Geo Doc Films also streaming on Disney+ include the Oscar®-winning “Free Solo” and the most awarded film of 2017, “Jane.”
“Given the difficult time our world is facing, this enthusiastic and determined group of young entrepreneurs are a ray of hope for a better, brighter future,” said co-directors Costantini and Foster. “We are excited to be working alongside National Geographic again and cannot imagine a more perfect platform than Disney+ to share these incredible stories and inspire children and adults alike to make a positive impact on our world.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering again with brilliant directing duo, Cristina and Darren, to tell this much-needed story of hope and optimism,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of Scripted Content and Documentary Films at National Geographic. “‘Own the Room’’s trailblazing group of young innovators are audaciously pushing boundaries to create a better world for generations to come, and their extraordinary work deserves our attention.”
“Own the Room” is produced by Shopify Studios and Saville Productions for National Geographic Documentary Films. Rupert Maconick and Jeffrey Plunkett serve as producers. Tobias Lütke, Jason Badal, Colin McRae, Carolyn Bernstein and Ryan Harrington serve as executive producers.
