In 2009, actor, activist and philanthropist Hugh Jackman and his wife Debora-Lee Furness travelled to Ethiopia along with the humanitarian aid organization World Vision to meet a coffee farmer named Dukale, who was struggling to provide for his family.
Jackman’s experience meeting and working alongside Dukale inspired him to create his fair-trade Laughing Man Coffee and Tea brand and the Dukale’s Dream blend. The company even buys coffee beans from Dukale and 100 percent of Laughing Man’s profits go to charity he started that supports education, community and social entrepreneurs.
His and the farmer’s story is chronicled in the new documentary Dukale’s Dream, which is now playing in select theaters and will be available on VOD, iTunes, Google Play and Amazon on July 14.
In Dukale’s Dream, Jackman is “playing the role of every man here, who kind of sort of understood what fair trade was but in reality didn’t, and now by tracing that story right through to the cafe in New York, people can just visually understand that the simple choice that they can make can make such a massive difference on the other end of the chain”.
To be certified Fair Trade, farmers must work under safe conditions, abstain from using chemicals and GMOs, and disclose the process while following proper conservation techniques.
Director Josh Rothstein says of the film’s goal, “The real agenda here is to spread the message of ethically traded products, responsibly sourced coffee. Ideally we make a real impact on viewers and audiences here so they have a stronger connection to and understanding of the coffee they purchase every day. We’re hoping that our film can just amplify some of the messages that people in this space have been working on for a long time.”
