Rise and Dream (2011)

Rise and Dream, a documentary, is the story of 13 teenagers who live with the challenges of poverty in a volatile region of the Philippines. When they volunteer to learn traditional instruments for a once-in-a-lifetime concert, the pressure mounts. Some of the best Filipino folk musicians sign on to open for the kids and the expected audience triples in size. Parents and community members help plan the event, dealing with obstacle after obstacle. The teens come from diverse neighborhoods, facing poverty with dignity and living harmoniously among families from Christian, Muslim and other religious backgrounds. Their perseverance in preparing for the concert is inspiring, but the triumph of the teens and their families in their everyday lives invites us to a new understanding of people living in poverty.