View The Trailer
Screenings
-
2016
April 18, 2016 7pm, Central Michigan
April 13, 2016 7pm, Western Carolina
April 12, 2016 6pm, Tennessee Wesleyan
April 5, 2016 7pm, Northwest Missouri State Univ. (MO)
Feb. 2, 2016 7:30pm, Univ. of Minnesota–Morris (MN)
2015
Dec. 7, 2015 7pm, Kansas State Univ
Nov. 20, 2015 7pm, Fontbonne University (MO)
Nov. 17, 2015 7pm, Aurora University (IL)
Nov. 12, 2015 7pm, Iowa State U
Nov. 11, 2015 11:30am, Salt Lake Community College (UT)
Nov. 3, 2015 7pm, SUNY–Adirondack (NY)
Nov. 2, 2015 9pm, SUNY–Oneonta (NY)
Oct. 19, 2015 7pm, Berry College (GA)
Oct. 15, 2015 7pm, Brandeis University (NY)
Oct. 9, 2015 9am, Volunteer State (TN)
April 23, 2015 Univ. of Missouri–Columbia (Mizzou)
April 9, 2015 University of North Iowa
April 2, 2015 Wesleyan University
April 1, 2015 St. Louis College of Pharmacy
March 27, 2015 Volunteer State CC (Gallatin, TN)
2014
Nov. 13, 2014 Missouri State University (Springfield, MO)
Nov. 6, 2014 9am, Columbia State CC (TN)
Nov. 5, 2014 Dyersburg State CC (Dyersburg, TN)
Nov. 4, 2014 Dyersburg State CC (Covington, TN)
Sept. 11, 2014 7pm, Providence College (RI)
Sept. 10, 2014 7pm, Western Illinois University
Sept. 8, 2014 Barton College (NC)
April 28, 2014 7pm, Schlafly Bottleworks Operation Food Search Fundraiser Screening (Maplewood, MO)
April 25, 2014 8:30pm, Camp Mihaska Salvation Army Midland Youth Conference
April 23, 2014 11am, Moraine Valley CC (IL)
April 15, 2014 St. Charles Community College (MO)
March 26, 2014 7pm, Regis University (CO)
March 6, 2014 9pm, Le Moyne College (NY)
March 6, 2014 6:30pm, Studio Movie Grill City Centre (Houston, TX)
March 5, 2014 7pm, SUNY Oswego (NY)
Feb. 25, 2014 West Chester Univ. (PA)
Feb. 24, 2014 7pm, Clarion Univ. (PA)
Feb. 18, 2014 6:30pm, AMC Esquire 7 (St. Louis, MO)
Feb. 7, 2014 11:30am, Pellissipi State CC (TN)
Feb. 6, 2014 6pm, Roane St. Community College (TN)
Jan. 25, 2014 2pm, Winona State University (MN)
2013
Nov. 25, 2013 1pm, Rivier University (NH)
Nov. 23, 2013 8pm, St. Joseph’s College of Maine
Nov. 21, 2013 6pm, Seton Hall, New Jersey
Nov. 20, 2013 7pm, University of New Hampshire
Nov. 19, 2013 8pm, Hofstra University (Long Island, NY)
Nov. 18, 2013 9pm, Quinnipiac Univ. (CT)
Sept. 23, 2013 Springfield College
Aug. 23, 2013 The Word at Shaw
July 16, 2013 Missouri History Museum (Avenues of Activism)
April 30, 2013 6:30pm & 8pm (2 screenings), Rutgers University Newark (Newark, NJ)
April 24, 2013 IL State University
April 18, 2013 University of Wisconsin Madison (Madison, WI)
April 11, 2013 8pm, Ramapo College of NJ (Mahwah NJ)
April 9, 2013 7pm, Christopher Newport University (Newport News, VA)
March 28, 2013 Lyndon, VT
March 27, 2013 Shippensburg, PA
March 26, 2013 Kutztown, PA
March 25, 2013 Colby-Sawyer College (New London, NH)
March 22, 2013 Dickinson, PA
March 21, 2013 Philadelphia, PA
March 20, 2013 St. Josephs University
March 19, 2013 UMSL (St. Louis, MO)
March 18, 2013 7pm, Maryville University (St. Louis, MO)
March 11, 2013 Springfield, MA
March 6, 2013 Univ. of Central Arkansas (Conway, AR)
Feb. 28, 2013 Emmanuel College
Feb. 26, 2013 Bridgewater MA
Feb. 25, 2013 Suffolk University (Boston, MA)
Feb. 21, 2013 Brookdale Community College (Lincroft, NJ)
Feb. 20, 2013 Lesley University
Feb. 20, 2013 Rutgers (Camden, NJ)
Jan. 24, 2013 Shepherd U (Shepherdstown, WV)
Jan. 23, 2013 Penn State/Abington (Abington, PA)
Jan. 16, 2013 Northeastern State Univ. (Tahlequah, OK)
2012
Dec. 6, 2012 Fort Lewis College (Durango, CO)
Dec. 3, 2012 River College (Nashua, New Hampshire)
Nov. 28, 2012 SUNY Alfred State (Alfred, NY)
Nov. 27, 2012 SUNY Geneseo (Geneseo,NY)
Nov. 15, 2012 Applachian State University (Boone, NC)
Nov. 15, 2012 St. Louis Community College Meramec (Kirkwood, MO)
Nov. 13, 2012 University of Illinois Springfield
Nov. 12, 2012 Lincoln Land Community College (Springfield, IL)
Oct. 3, 2012 University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
July 21, 2012 The Merge (Saint Peters, MO)
June 26, 2012 Kirkwood Station Brewing CO (Kirkwood, MO)
June 18, 2012 The Gathering (Indianapolis, IN)
May 5, 2012 Awareness Film Fest (Los Angeles, CA)
April 26, 2012 SEMO (Cape Girardeau, MO)
April 13, 2012 University Of Evansville (Evansville, IN)
April 5, 2012 Lafayette High School (Wildwood, MO)
March 29, 2012 Midwest Institute (Private Event)
March 28, 2012 SLU Film Studies Program (St. Louis, MO)
March 15, 2012 Broadway Bean (St. Louis, MO)
March 11, 2012 Les Film Fest (New York City, NY)
March 10, 2012 Omaha Film Fest, 2pm (Omaha, NE)
Feb. 29, 2012 University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK)
Feb. 24, 2012 Africa World Documentary Film Fest (St. Louis, MO)
Feb. 23, 2012 Overflow Coffee Bar (Chicago, IL)
Feb. 9, 2012 Webster University (Webster Groves, MO)
Jan. 13, 2012 RedTree Church (St. Louis, MO)
Jan. 10, 2012 Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (St. Louis, Missouri)
2011
Dec. 15, 2011 St. Louis Scholarship Foundation (St. Louis, MO)
Nov. 18, 2011 Skepticon Athiest Conference (Springfield, MO)
Nov. 17, 2011 Missouri State University (Springfield, MO)
Nov 16, 2011 Vista Alternative High School (Webster Groves, MO)
Nov 15, 2011 St. Dominic High School (O’Fallon, MO)
Nov. 12, 2011 St. Louis International Film Fest (St. Louis, MO)
Nov. 9, 2011 St. Louis Community College (St. Louis, MO)
Nov. 4, 2011 Biola University, Los Angeles, California
Oct. 24, 2011 William Woods University (Fulton, MO)
Oct. 19, 2011 Greenville College (Greenville, IL)
Oct. 15, 2011 Heartland Film Fest (Indianapolis, IN)
Oct. 11, 2011 St. Louis Community College (Wildwood, MO)
Oct. 8, 2011 All Souls Church (Atlanta, GA)
Sept. 28, 2011 St. Louis Community College (St. Louis, MO)
Sept. 27, 2011 Missouri Baptist University (St. Louis, MO)
Sept. 26, 2011 U City High School (St. Louis, MO)
Sept. 23, 2011 St. Paul’s Evangelical Free Church (St. Louis, MO)
Sept. 21, 2011 St. Louis Community College (St. Louis, MO)
Sept. 17, 2011 Washington University (St. Louis, MO)
Aug. 14, 2011 St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase (St. Louis, MO)
June 23, 2011 Chesterfield Presbyterian Church (Chesterfield, MO)
Take Action
Child Sponsorship
$30 a month can give a child food, education, and health care
Water
$20 can give a person clean water for 20 years
Feed Hungry Americans
Feed hungry Americans with the help of Feeding America
Micro-Loan
Loan $25 to entrepreneurs in the third world
Child Soldiers
Join Invisible Children’s TRI campaign
NGO
Human Trafficking
Help end the purchase, sale, and exploitation of human beings
Team
-
![]()
Dan Parris
Director/Producer/Co-Editor/Subject
Dan Parris, owner of Speak Up Productions LLC, is the filmmaker/activist/goofball whose lingering questions after returning from Africa serve as the fuel for the film What Matters?, Dan has a B.A. in Film Production from Biola University and is currently pursuing the dream he has had for nearly a decade, to make feature films that will have ground-breaking impact in the world.
-
![]()
Rob Lehr
Assistant Producer/Subject
Rob Lehr is an offensive, yet delightful filmmaker and friend whose passions include hunting, poetry, and sharing his views no matter how you may feel about them. He has a degree in Business from Missouri State University, and currently resides in Springfield, MO. Rob’s ability to be open and raw as the skeptic of the journey provides much of the drama and comedic relief of the film.
-
![]()
David Peterka
Assistant Producer/Subject
David Peterka is an experienced activist and traveler with unbreakable optimism. He has his degree in Intercultural and Urban Missions and is developing his own non-profit, “When the Saints”, whose goal is defending, rescuing and maintaining the rights of the weak, poor and oppressed, focusing on victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking in Malawi.
-
![]()
Tim Peterka
Cameraman
Tim Peterka can’t remember how many times he almost died. Our cameraman and a career student who has traveled extensively and worked a variety of photography jobs including one as professional aerial photographer. Like Rob, he grew up in the church, but fell away in high school and is now an agnostic atheist. His travel knowledge will be put to the test in Africa. Oh, and he also boils a great pot of rice.
-
![]()
Tony Mungai
Translator/Guide/Health Worker
Tony Mungai unknowingly played a key part in the What Matters? story from the very beginning, serving as a guide during Dan’s first visit to the Kibera slum. Their conversations heavily impacted Dan’s perception of extreme poverty, and in turn, helped mold his life’s dream to irradicate it. With a diploma in Community Health and Management of HIV/AIDS, he recently embarked on his dream by starting the MTAANI VCT Center. The center offers desparately needed HIV/AIDS testing and counseling services in the Kibera area and provides referrals for medication, health care treatment, and specialized counseling for clients living with HIV/AIDS.
-
![]()
Ian Perry
Music
Ian is a freelance composer in the L.A. area, writing for both film and the concert stage. He graduated from Biola University with his bachelor’s in composition, and having worked extensively with the film students there, continues to make scores for short films and various projects. Ian likes electronic music, John Cage, good avocados, and large amounts of sleep. He also thinks it’s a great idea for everyone to try writing something at some point, because music, no matter who it’s made by, is full of joy and fun.
Press
We are Movie Geeks (2/13/2014) – WHAT MATTERS? Documentary on Poverty Screens in St. Louis February 18th
Fox2 (2/10/2014) – Filmmakers try to live on $1.25 a day in “What Matters”
KSDK Channel 5 (8/14/2011) – St. Louis plane crash survivors debut film at home
St. Louis Beacon (8/22/2011) – Filmmakers hope to illuminate and engage
KSDK Ch. 5 – “Sometimes even the best scripts need a re-write”
St. Louis Post Dispatch – Movie on area men’s plight in Africa set for debut
St. Louis Post Dispatch – St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase will premier 7 homegrown films
FAQs
-
A feature length documentary about three friends, two idealistic activists and one skeptic, attempting to live in poverty, on $1.25 a day, across 3 continents. The adventure takes a devastating turn when two of them survive a deadly plane crash in Africa, and all three must fight to finish what they started.
-
In 2005, Dan traveled to the second largest slum in Africa, Kenya’s Kibera slum. In Kibera, the average person lives on $1.25 a day; there are no paved roads, no indoor plumbing or sewage control, and the houses are made out of mud, sticks, and scrap metal. Upon returning home, Dan felt a desire to make a difference but also could sense that conviction waning and decided to make a film that could help keep that passion alive. In 2007, he invited Rob and David to join him thus beginning the long fundraising and development process ending with all three leaving for Africa July 5, 2009.
-
The goal was to make a funny, adventurous and compelling film about the ability young people have to make a difference in the extreme poverty and injustice in this world. What makes the film truly special is that it takes an honest, straightforward approach to extreme poverty that appeals to both the activist and the apathetic. Our overall goal is “to connect those who need something to live for with those who just need something to live.” We hope the film challenges the viewer to ask themselves two questions, ‘What Breaks their Heart?’ & ‘What Makes them come alive’ and think of ways to put those together.
-
Yes, the original name for the film was Give A Damn? It was Rob’s idea and based on the fact that the film was originally all about trying to get him to care about extreme poverty. We felt it was a good “in your face” name, and we ran with it. If you want to trace back the history of What Matters?, just do a search for Give A Damn? Documentary on google and you will find a lot.
We created an alternate name because we realized some of our target audience was offended by the title and it closed a lot of doors for us. We have always wanted as many people to hear our story as possible, and did not want the title of the film to be a stumbling block. So What Matters? was born. Last of all, once the film was finished, we realized as a team that in many ways What Matters? was a more appropriate title because this question comes up as Rob decides if he should return to the plane, David thinks about it as he listens to Dan in the hospital, and Rob ends the film saying, “You have to figure out what really matters, and I think its people.”
-
We are not directly affiliated with any organization or church, but faith or the lack thereof, plays a big role in each of our lives and a big role in the film.
-
Hopefully. Email us at whatmattersfilm@gmail.com. In your email please include full name, location you want to screen, phone number and email.
-
Check out our screenings page. You can also purchase a DVD at our store or stream the film online.
-
We are still paying off the expenses that went into making the film. Once we start to make a profit, 50% of the funds received will go to fighting extreme poverty and injustice to organizations we believe in. Check out some of them in our “Take Action” page.
-
Dan continues to work in film through his company Speak Up Productions, and is currently working on a number of documentaries.
David has started his own non-profit, When the Saints. Check it out!
Rob is living in Springfield, MO and works for Scotts-Miracle Gro and does video work through his company Hambone Productions.
-
If you are interested in volunteering or interning with us, fill out the info on our contact page and we will get back to you as soon as possible. If you want to get involved in fighting extreme poverty and injustice, visit our “Take Action” page. We recommend as you think about getting involved, ask yourself two questions: What breaks your heart? and What makes you come alive? And then find a way to put those two things together.
Post Film Watching Questions
(May spoil some stuff!)
-
As much as that day forever changed the What Matters? teams lives, it affected the families of Frank Toews and Ryan Williams in ways we could never imagine. Both men left four kids and a wife that are continually dealing with the loss of their fathers and husbands.
Immediately following the crash, the team agreed that the film would be dedicated to Frank and Ryan. Both wives have seen the film, and support our mission because it reflects their husbands mission to look out for the “least of these.” Both families continue to support the mission of African Inland Mission (aimair.org), the organization their husbands worked for.
-
No, but he no longer considers himself such an angry athiest. In his own words, “We (society) are fighting too much over too little. We need to learn how to live together.”
-
He is doing much better and has gained all his weight back. He still has recurring issues following the surgery, but nothing compared to the issues he had the 9 months following the plane crash.
-
You can keep up with everything they are doing at the When the Saints website and you can learn more about the film they did with Speak Up Productions here.