Call to action! Join us for a screening of the documentary The True Story followed by a discussion and Q & A with Shamini Dhana (Associate Producer The True Story and Founder, CEO of Dhana Inc) and Andrew Morgan (Director of The True Cost).
Help us start a new conversation on “who pays the price for our clothing?” Filmed in countries all over the world, from the brightest runways to the darkest slums, and featuring interviews with the world’s leading influencers including Stella McCartney, Livia Firth and Vandana Shiva, The True Cost is an unprecedented project that invites us on an eye opening journey around the world and into the lives of the many people and places behind our clothes.
THE TRUE COST (Documentary 90min) is a story about clothing. It’s about the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the industry is having on our world. The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing?
Statement from the Director
Photo Credit: NY Times
I was getting my coffee one morning when I saw a photograph on the cover of a newspaper that instantly broke my heart. The image was of two boys walking past a giant wall of missing-persons signs. Picking it up, I read the story of the clothing factory collapse outside of Dhaka, Bangladesh, taking the lives of more than 1,000 people and severely injuring thousands more. At the time of the collapse, the factory was making clothes for major western brands. I soon learned that this was not an isolated tragedy.
Growing up in America, I never gave much thought to where my clothes came from. But as I began learning more about the people and places behind the labels in my closet, I was shocked by what I found. Clothing is the most labor-dependent industry in the world, employing millions of the world’s poorest workers, many of which are women. Many of these women are paid less than a living wage, work in unsafe conditions, and are deprived of basic human rights. In addition to the human impact, fashion is now the number two most polluting industry on earth – second only to oil.
Today, we are outsourcing more, consuming more (in the US a 500% clothing consumption increase in the last two decades alone), using more resources, and paying less than we have at any previous time in history. At the same time, there are record high numbers of worker casualties in factories, and a fundamentally unsustainable growing toll on the environment.
What kind of world will we create now that we are beginning to see the cost of our actions? In a time where our impact on people and the world is measured in real time, will we choose to create new systems to alleviate this pressure?
These questions, and the grave implications of the answers, led me to direct The True Cost. A global documentary that explores the fashion industry around the world, examining where we are, how we got here, and how we can create a better future moving forward. For too long now, conversation around this topic has suffered from over-simplified blame games. Political and economic complexities have allowed us to miss what is unavoidably clear – that this is first and foremost a moral issue. There is consistent irresponsible care of the environment, and clear violations of the most basic human rights. But this is something we can and must change.
The eyes of the world are opening, and I believe history is giving us this moment to choose a better path. Human progress moves forward when those who have a voice use it on behalf of those who do not. It moves forward when a moment is seized rather than ignored. And it most certainly moves when we decide that the profit of some must never come from the exploitation of others. I hope with all my heart that this film serves as a needed step in that progress.
– Andrew Morgan, Director
ANDREW MORGAN, DIRECTOR
Andrew is an internationally recognized director focused on telling stories for a better tomorrow. His experience includes a broad range of work that spans narrative and documentary storytelling for both commercial and film projects. After studying cinematography at the Los Angeles Film School he went on to co-found Untold Creative, a hybrid filmmaking studio where he currently serves as the creative director. He is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post and speaks regularly on the power of storytelling as a tool in the ongoing fight for human rights around the world. Andrew lives in LA with his wife Emily and their four children.
MICHAEL ROSS, PRODUCER
Michael has worked as a creative producer and project coordinator in film and advertising. Beginning his career in journalism at local stations in Florida, before going on to Mirada Studios where he worked on award winning advertising for clients including Disney, Expedia, IBM, and AT&T. He has a passion for leading others in producing films that will make a difference in the world. Michael is a graduate of Florida State University where he majored in media production and business.
LUCY SIEGLE, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Lucy Siegle has written a weekly ethical living column for The Observer since 2004, and two books, including Green Living in the Urban Jungle and To Die For. She has contributed to various television and radio programs, including magazines Marie Claire, Grazia and Elle. She reports and speaks about environmental issues on TV and radio, including The 5 O’Clock Show, Five’s The Wright Stuff, Sky News and BBC Radio 4′s You and Yours. Lucy is a current reporter for BBC One’s The One Show.
LIVIA FIRTH, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Livia Firth is the Creative Director of Eco-Age, the sustainability brand consultancy and founder of the Green Carpet Challenge. As an Oxfam Global Ambassador, Livia has travelled to Ethiopia, Kenya, Bangladesh and Zambia, connecting with the people at the beginning of the supply chain. She is also a founding member of Annie Lennox’s ‘The Circle’, a powerful women’s advocacy group. Livia is a UN Leader of Change and has also been recognised with the UN Fashion 4 Development Award. In 2014, Livia was awarded the Rainforest Alliance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability and the Honorary Award of the National German Sustainability Foundation. Livia currently resides in London with her husband Colin, two children, one cat and four fish.
VINCENT VITTORIO, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Vincent Vittorio is the founder of Life Is My Movie Entertainment, a company built on his ambition to elevate the documentary genre through visionary means of development, production and distribution. His relentless drive and work ethic work in concert with his ability to find unique ways to reach large audiences. He has spoken about the documentary filmmaking process at notable conferences, colleges and universities nationwide. Vincent and his work has been featured on MSNBC, Bloomberg, ABC, Variety, CBS, FOX, MSNBC, C-SPAN, Huffington Post, New York Times, among others. A graduate of the University of Florida, Vincent earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism with an emphasis in Telecommunication Production as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Film and Media studies. He currently resides in Suwanee, Georgia with his wife, Jessica and their four children.
CHRISTOPHER L. HARVEY, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Christopher L. Harvey is the Chief Operating Officer for Life Is My Movie Entertainment. As a former public school teacher, Christopher’s drive is focused on the ability to positively impact people’s lives in every project in which he and the company participate. His work spans all departments and he believes that focus, creativity, relationships, and dedication to efficiency are paramount to impacting the world in the greatest possible manner. Christopher graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and presently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife Lindsay.
LAURA PIETY, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Laura is a creative producer and marketing strategist who has worked with brands including YouTube, The Sundance Institute, The Guardian, British Vogue and The Mayor of London. She is passionate about telling stories that enhance hope in powerful and beautiful ways. As such, she founded Rverie, an online and print publication dedicated to interviewing individuals within the fashion, advocacy and culture spaces. In 2011 she also co-founded Fashioned for Freedom, an anti-trafficking project under the direction of the IOM. Laura is a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London and now lives in LA.
Shamini brings over 20 years of international strategy, global operations, venture capital and executive leadership experience in Corporate America. Before launching her own company Dhana Inc. in 2008, Shamini travelled the globe, managing and marketing Silicon Valley Bank’s global financial services group including managing the bank’s technology clients and investing in cross-border venture funds for seven years.
SHAMINI DHANA, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Prior to banking, Shamini managed the State of California’s Foreign Direct Investment for Asia Pacific, travelling extensively, speaking, promoting trade and leading global business missions. As an entrepreneur, Shamini Dhana brings her passion and purpose in uniting the globe by redefining our connection to the people and planet with her brand Dhana — an earth conscious brand for kids – offering a collection of ethical and sustainable products. Shamini continues to give back to the community through educating kids on the impact of their choices every day and raises awareness on sustainability as a Climate Ride Ambassador. Shamini lives in Mill Valley, CA with her husband and kids, President of San Francisco’s Global Professional Women’s Network ‘Ellevate’, Board Director of the Ethical Fashion Forum(EFF) based in London, UK and is Associate Producer of the True Cost Movie.
ABOUT: Dhana, Inc. (Dhana.com) is an earth-conscious fashion brand celebrating our global connections in life whose mission is to inspire our younger generation to adopt a green, global philosophy for life. We strive to unite the beauty of nature, the choice of natural, organic elements, the celebration of world cultures, the creative genius of global artists, the passion of entrepreneurs, and the voices of children through the universal medium of Fashion. Our brands feature organic, fair trade fabrics and designs by eco-minded artists around the world and our eco fashion collections are a fun, hip and healthy way to get people thinking about how all of us are interconnected and interdependent with nature and each other. All of our lines are made with love in certified fair trade facilities with 100% GOTS-certified cotton and low-impact dyes.
