A Story That Can’t Just Be Collateral Damage
A year ago, my team and I were deep in the editing process of Riza, a film about a disarming, wise woman from Manila. We knew her story would make an impact, and we wanted to get it out into the world as quickly as possible.
Riza is a mother of four who navigates the busy streets of Manila by bicycle as an informal waste collector (sometimes called waste picker). She opens garbage bags, finding a treasure trove of recyclables. In a place like the Philippines with oceans and waterways all around, the water teems with garbage. Much of it is single-use plastic bottles and packaging.
Riza is one of over 20 million people who do this job, picking through other people’s discards to collect recyclables. Their work in dangerous and unsanitary conditions has a huge impact. Workers like Riza recycle over half of the world’s collected waste. In short, they are cleaning up our mess.
Recyclables overwhelm landfills, choke rivers and streams, and float into the ocean. But it doesn’t stop there. Plastic is growing at a particularly alarming rate. It’s now in our food systems—and in us, too. According to the United Nations, at the current rate of production, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. So Riza’s work, though considered “dirty,” is essential.
Riza herself sees the effect of waste. When it rains in her neighborhood, garbage floods the streets. She knows that what she does makes a small but important impact.
On January 24th, 2025 we were told to pause editing. The USAID program that sponsored the film was also stopped. A short time later, we were informed of the program’s cancellation, just like so many others. It felt unnecessary and wasteful to spend all that time and effort on a story that would live on a hard drive and never see the light of day. But gradually, I began to see other colleagues find ways to preserve or complete their work: research continued, data and resources were shared, and we realized that Riza too could have a future.
Nearly a year later, we have found a clear path to complete the film. Our fiscal sponsor SIMA Studios is our social impact partner. We’re ready to pick up the story, polish it and make it shine.
Riza deserves our attention. But this film isn’t just about her. It’s about us, too. It’s an opportunity to change our relationship with waste. For many, it’s out of sight and out of mind. But the reality is that it’s here, and without conscious effort, regulation, and support for people like Riza—it’s going to get much worse within our lifetimes. We know this film is a powerful tool that can compel audiences to act.
For Riza to be seen, we need to raise $35K to complete the finishing edit, score, color grading and mixing, and for its initial distribution. The heavy lifting of production is done—we just need to get it across that finish line. Want to help? Please see below or get in touch.
Stephanie Foerster, Founder of Ensemble Media and Director, “Riza”
Want to make an impact?
Interested in becoming an official sponsor (donate $5K+)? Get in touch here.
Want to make a tax-deductible donation? Go here.
Want to help get the word out? Go here to watch and share the trailer.