The Starfish Throwers

Filmmaker Jesse Roesler's inspirational documentary profiles three very different—yet equally driven and altruistic—grassroots activists fighting against hunger and poverty. In India, chef Krishnan Narayanan gave away food to the low-caste homeless so often that uncomprehending family and peers sought psychiatrists and Brahmin priests to stop him; Krishnan persisted, and now leads the Akshaya Trust, a nonprofit relief agency. Minneapolis's Allan Law, a retired teacher, has for years doled out free meals to the poor from his van, becoming a local icon. Young Katie Stagliano, a South Carolina schoolgirl (and Hunger Games fan) turned her love for growing produce into Katie's Krops, a network of small gardens to feed hungry families and stock soup kitchens. As the camera cross-cuts between the trio, viewers see that it's not all sweetness and awards ceremonies; Law suffers mounting health problems, and Katie is the target of bitter criticism from Internet trolls. Still, nothing will deter them from paying it forward. Like the similarly-themed Every Three Seconds (VL-3/15), this fine documentary illustrates how caring individuals can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)