Hugh Jackman: Dukale’s Dream
Fair Trade is a social movement whose stated goal is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and to promote sustainability. Members of the movement advocate the payment of higher prices to exporters, as well as higher social and environmental standards. The movement focuses in particular on commodities, or products which are typically exported from developing countries to developed countries.
In 2009, actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-lee Furness, traveled to Ethiopia as ambassadors for World Vision Australia, one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid organizations. As longtime donors, the Jackmans wanted to visit a World Vision community development project to see how rural communities were being empowered to eradicate poverty. While in the Yirgacheffe region, Hugh met a 27 year-old coffee farmer named Dukale, working to lift his family out of poverty.
Spending time on Dukale’s farm, Hugh Jackman learned first-hand about the value of fair trade coffee and clean cookstove technology. By utilizing shade grown farming practices and limiting reliance on fossil fuels, Dukale was able to create a bio-farm with a zero carbon footprint and resounding health implications for his family. Additionally, his wife, Adanesh, who traditionally collected firewood for the family’s energy needs, now had time to focus on other income generating opportunities while their children pursued an education.
OMTimes had a pleasure to interview Josh Rothstein, the director and filmmaker and photographer of Dukale’s dream. His past work includes photographing some of music industry’s top artists including Steven Tyler, John Legend and P Diddy. Commercial directing projects include campaigns for Puma, Samsung, Heineken, and Mastercard. Josh worked with Baz Luhrmann to document Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire as they prepared for THE GREAT GATSBY. Rothstein has directed several projects with actor Hugh Jackman including a PSA for Haiti, a featurette of Jackman preparing to host the Oscars, and a promo of THE WOLVERINE for HBO’s First Look series. Josh’s feature documentary work includes 3 POINTS, about the plight of Darfur refugees, and DUKALE’S DREAM, the inspirational story behind Hugh Jackman’s coffee company.
