A moving portrait from Emmy winning director Mark Mori of baristas rising up against corporate power and injustice
From the Heart Productions, a top-rated 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers, is proud to announce that the feature documentary Baristas vs. Billionaires has won the Carole Dorothy Joyce Award for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling. This special recognition, part of the prestigious Roy W. Dean Grant for Spring 2025, comes with a $3,500 cash prize.
Directed by Academy Award nominee and Emmy winner Mark Mori, Baristas vs. Billionaires is a gripping and emotionally charged documentary chronicling the grassroots uprising of Starbucks baristas across the United States. As corporate profits soared, baristas launched a bold campaign for living wages, dignity, and fair treatment. Their efforts sparked a wave of unionization that spread from a single store in Buffalo, NY, to over 600 unionized stores representing 12,000 workers, igniting a generational battle between working-class Millennials and Gen Z and billionaire Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.
“This film is a masterclass in the power of narrative to shine a light on injustice and inspire change,” said Carole Joyce, Director of the Roy W. Dean Grants. “Baristas vs. Billionaires gives voice to a new wave of workers demanding dignity, rights, and representation. We are honored to support this courageous and timely project.”
Through powerful personal stories and on-the-ground footage, the film lays bare the emotional toll of organizing in the face of illegal firings, store closures, corporate surveillance, and even arrests. As Starbucks Workers United continues to push for a collective bargaining agreement, Baristas vs. Billionaires captures not just a historic labor struggle—but a turning point in the future of America’s working class.
About the Filmmaker
Mark Mori, Director
Mark is an Academy Award–nominated (for Building Bombs) and Emmy Award–winning (for Kent State: The Day the War Came Home) documentary filmmaker, as well as a former labor organizer. Known for powerful investigative storytelling, Mori brings deep insight and urgency to his work. His acclaimed feature documentary Bettie Page Reveals All won Best Documentary at both the Garden State and Cine-Kink Film Festivals, enjoyed a U.S. theatrical release (2013–14), and remains in worldwide distribution. With Baristas vs. Billionaires, Mori and his team shine a light on one of the most significant labor movements in recent American history—capturing the bravery, emotion, and resilience of a new generation fighting for justice.
About the Carole Dorothy Joyce Award for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling
The Carole Dorothy Joyce Award for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling is a special $3,500 award presented to a finalist in the Roy W. Dean Grant competition whose work exemplifies exceptional documentary storytelling. Created to honor films that make a profound social or emotional impact, the award recognizes projects that uplift underrepresented voices and illuminate critical issues through compelling, cinematic narratives.
Previous recipients include Women of Wonder, directed by Gina Roda and Stephen Laurence Harvey, which celebrates the feminine spirit—wisdom, compassion, and resilience—through global storytelling across diverse generations. Pianoman, produced and directed by Sunny Liu, is a poignant verité-style film that chronicles the struggles of an undocumented family while exploring themes of civil rights, social justice, and the transformative power of music. Hang Town, directed by Stuart Harmon and produced by Lyntoria Newton, confronts the legacy of lynching and land theft in Northern California as three women reckon with their town’s past and redefine their communities and identities.
This award continues to spotlight visionary filmmakers whose documentaries inform, inspire, and foster meaningful change.
About From the Heart Productions
From The Heart Productions is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to helping filmmakers get their projects funded and made. Besides providing funding through the grant, they offer fiscal sponsorship to filmmakers. This allows donations made to films they sponsor to be tax deductible. From The Heart has helped independent filmmakers raise millions through their fiscal sponsorship program. The non-profit also offers film funding and production educational programs which include their Intentional Filmmaking Class and Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course in Indie Film Production.
President Carole Dean is the best-selling author of The Art of Film Funding: 2nd Edition, Alternative Financing Concepts and the new online class How to Fund Your Film.
