A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot
Bridgeport, Connecticut | Film Feature
Documentary, LGBTQ
At the intersection of food and feminism is Bloodroot, a visionary restaurant known for its comforting vegan dishes and welcoming environment. Through the power of collective action, Bloodroot has become a safe space for marginalized communities and a force for positive change.
A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot
Bridgeport, Connecticut | Film Feature
Documentary, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | Massachusetts, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,845 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
126 supporters | followers
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At the intersection of food and feminism is Bloodroot, a visionary restaurant known for its comforting vegan dishes and welcoming environment. Through the power of collective action, Bloodroot has become a safe space for marginalized communities and a force for positive change.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE PROJECT
In the '70s and '80s, there were over 230 feminist restaurants, cafes, and coffeehouses throughout the United States and Canada. Bloodroot, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is now the oldest and longest lasting of those spaces, in continuous operation for over 46 years. A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot is a short documentary that explores this feminist, queer, vegan restaurant and bookstore, and illuminates the legacy of its pioneering proprietors, Selma Miriam and Noel Furie.
Our film shares the history of Bloodroot, its place in the landscape of American feminist thought, and the impact it has had on the local community. It follows the restaurant’s founders, Selma and Noel, as well as the staff and customers that reveal why Bloodroot is much more than just a restaurant. Audiences get an intimate look inside these women’s 46-year working partnership, along with how they navigate sexism, homophobia, and the reality of getting older. Despite challenges, Bloodroot has endured as a beloved space for generations of feminists, vegans, and queer people who keep coming back.
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
On the second day of shooting this project, I found myself slumped in a seat at Bloodroot. I was exhausted by the hours of prep work I had already invested, and I was now focused intently on my iPhone’s camera settings. Noel, who is also a photographer, walked up to me and said “the footage you shot yesterday looked great. Selma looked like Selma. We both looked like ourselves!”
Initially, I had questioned my decision to use mobile filmmaking methods, but I ultimately went with my gut as I wanted to capture the organic and unplanned interactions that make Bloodroot so special. Noel’s enthusiasm affirmed my decision, and a heavy weight was lifted off me. Noel continued, “You really get to know what someone thinks of you based on how you are shown on camera. It’s the person behind the lens that tells the story.” At that moment, I knew I was committed to this story for the long haul.
My name is Annie Laurie Medonis. I am a documentary filmmaker, queer artist, and vegetarian foodie. As the first couple days of shooting turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, I developed a close relationship with Selma and Noel. I have spent hours with them, not only in the restaurant, but also in their homes. I have met their children, spent time in their gardens, and even helped Selma hang up orchids in her greenhouse. Bloodroot has become a second home for me, as it has for so many others.
Selma and Noel have dedicated their lives to Bloodroot and the critical function it serves as a model for sustainable food practices and a gathering space for feminist and queer communities. At 88 and 78 years old, the story of Selma and Noel needs to be told now, while they are still with us to tell it. While a good portion of this documentary is complete, the film cannot move forward without resources. Passion is almost enough to make a film, but funds bring it to fruition. This is where you come in. Please consider supporting A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot by donating toward our post-production needs.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR
We shot the movie! Well, over 75% of it. Our director Annie Laurie has spent the last couple of years with Selma and Noel, and feels grateful to have insider access to these two badass women who have contributed so much to the feminist, queer landscape. The film benefits from the trusting relationship Annie Laurie developed with Selma and Noel, and features a peek into their daily work process and how they live their life.
WHAT IS LEFT TO DO
We now need your help to finish post-production, primarily through donations to compensate the skilled professionals who are critical to the final shape of the film. We need an editor to select and arrange the footage that tells our story best. Given the amount of time our director spent at Bloodroot and in the company of Selma and Noel, editing this project will take time. The film also requires sound design and color grading, and we intend to use original music. Finally, we need funds to promote and distribute the film once all these final touches are complete.
We intend to use the donations we receive as follows:
- Outstanding Production Needs: $1,500
- Editing: $4,000
- Color Grading: $1,500
- Sound Design: $2,000
- Music Scoring: $1,000
If we meet our stretch goal of $15,000, we will commit funds toward marketing and distribution. If we exceed our stretch goal, we will seek the services of a publicist to promote our film and assist with the film festival circuit.
Thank you for considering our project. We look forward to sharing it with you.
- For more information, email us: [email protected]
- Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @culinaryuprisingfilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing
Costs $4,000
Documentary film relies on a wonderful editor to turn hours of footage into a seamless story. We have the editor, now we need the funds!
Music Scoring
Costs $1,000
Original music adds an element that stock music just cannot. Music inspired directly by the film is much truer to our vision.
Color Grading
Costs $1,500
Color grading is often overlooked, but it contributes to the professional feel of finished project. It is a key part of post-production.
Sound Design
Costs $2,000
Audio must be mastered to bring volume levels in alignment and ensure all sounds are of the highest quality. We want our sound to sing.
Outstanding Production Needs
Costs $1,500
We need to cover costs of a couple more shoots, legal fees to ensure our production is ready for distribution, hard drives, etc.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Annie Laurie Medonis is the director and producer of A Culinary Uprising. Her passion for film has led her to travel all over the United States for film festivals, talks, and panels. She loves creating and telling stories that uplift and inspire people, often evoking strong emotions, and doesn’t limit herself to any one genre of film. Annie Laurie has received multiple awards, a nomination, and several official selections for her short films and documentaries on various topics including domestic violence, female athletes, and cats.
Vincent Cartagirone is an Associate Producer for A Culinary Uprising. He attained his BA in Music & Education from Anna Maria College with a focus in voice. He is the music teacher at All Saints Academy and provides private music lessons for Central Mass Music Academy. Additionally, Vincent is a choir member in Rock Voices, and does musical performances in the central Massachusetts area.
Sarah Parr is an Associate Producer and Social Media Strategist on A Culinary Uprising. She is a Midwest-based copywriter and production professional, as well as a graduate of Case Western Reserve University. She currently studies at Rutgers Business School. Sarah became involved with the film industry during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and has worked as a production assistant and field producer.
Colleen Kelly Poplin is an Associate Producer and Project Manager on A Culinary Uprising. Colleen is a documentary filmmaker and sound artist. Her documentary work explores gender roles, domestic life, religion, mental health, and the inextricable ties that bind these concepts together. Her most personal project, Families Can Be Together Forever, follows her journey out of the Mormon church–a journey which unexpectedly aligned with her first pregnancy. The film depicts her pregnancy from start to finish while exploring the emotional and spiritual weight of leaving Mormonism, its effect on the mother she hopes to become, and its effect on the mother who raised her. Colleen is currently an Assistant Professor of Film & Video Arts Production at Bridgewater State University.
Jay Van Pelt is a Bay Area raised filmmaker. Currently residing on the East Coast, starting off their film career in the great city of Boston. Traveling up and down the coast working as a freelance filmmaker after attending Emerson College. Where they’ve DP’d and directed multiple student films. Working as an on set sound recordist, and boom operator on multiple narrative features. Their interest in editing documentaries such as Bloodroot comes from their passionate curiosity about those in their shared world (local and global). As a well traveled filmmaker Jay believes documentaries are the truest form of life on film. Merely capturing moments they find themselves in, directing and cutting together Slices of Life is their own personal project yet to be displayed to the public.
Michael Roux was born and raised in Connecticut. He attended Full Sail University in Orlando, FL and promptly moved up to Brooklyn to begin his career in the film industry. Now living in the Big Apple, he works in the production office on narrative union productions such as The Other Two, and Dr. Death. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and brother to a vegan, this documentary spoke to him and he is thrilled to join such a welcoming, hard working crew. He also wishes to use this as an opportunity to create a stronger community within his small home state.
Sara Marković is a Serbian director and producer who brings an Eastern European perspective to her creative work in the US. She has mixed feelings about having her first feature documentary film, The Blacklisted, banned by the government due to its political controversy. Luckily, the film can be streamed on Amazon Prime and Tubi. Her short film The Brazilian traveled to Cannes Short Film Corner in 2019, she is a member of Serbian Association of Filmmakers, and she now holds an MFA of Visual and Media Arts from Emerson College in Boston. Most of her time in the US she devoted to collaborating with other talented filmmakers – in early 2023 she produced a feature fiction film Ugly Sweater for Purple Magnet Productions, and aside from 1001 Nights in Zanzibar that is in development, she is directing and producing a documentary web series Survivor’s Guide to Diaspora, in which she gives tips on how to stay sane while creating a life from scratch as a fresh new immigrant.
Grace-Mary Burega is a Boston-based composer of socially conscious documentaries, films, and media. She aims to use her strong thematic ideas as a call to action for various causes. Her music spans the orchestral, electronic, minimalist, and jazz genres. She has a love for documentaries and is excited to score A Culinary Uprising. Grace-Mary is a recent graduate of the Berklee Online Masters of Music in Film Scoring program, where she received the 2022 Student of the Year Award for Outstanding Graduate Student. She earned her undergraduate degree at Berklee College of Music in Film & TV Scoring and was awarded the 2020 Robert Share Award. Grace-Mary is the Secretary for the Female Composer Safety League and Women in Film and Video of New England. She is also currently a Recording Session Coordinator for the Screen Scoring department at Berklee College of Music.
Nikita Sampath is an award-winning visual storyteller who has produced work in North America, South Asia and East Asia. Nikita grew up in India and graduated from Boston University’s graduate program in Broadcast Journalism. She has always been drawn to stories about immigration, culture, gender and society, and is very excited to be part of the team working on A Culinary Uprising. As a filmmaker, Nikita likes to explore the intersection of health, environment and gender, especially within lesser privileged communities. She also loves to travel and cook, and understand cultures by way of it. Nikita has worked in higher education for several years, teaching filmmaking, exploring new media and producing marketing content.
Monika Piascik was born and raised in Poland. She came to the USA at the age of 22 to experience a different culture and become a leader of “financial freedom.” She has earned an Associate’s in Accounting at Norwalk Community College and a Bachelor’s of Professional Study at the University of Connecticut. There, she studied how to take a business from surviving to thriving. For the past five years, she has dedicated her life to working at CPA firms, applying school knowledge into practice. She has guided countless small business owners on how to organize their financial data so they can make informed financial decisions. Monika is passionate about professional and personal growth. She strongly believes that knowledge is power and good leaders never stop learning.
Rylee Leonard is a Massachusetts-based filmmaker and a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Film. She is currently launching her film career across the New England area while pursuing her Masters in Accounting and Finance from Southern New Hampshire University. Rylee loves traveling, reading, spending time with friends, and of course film. She is writing her first screenplay, hoping to finish it within the next year. An Associate Producer on A Culinary Uprising, she is excited to learn and be a part of this important documentary.
Tracy Nichole Cring is an Editor of more than forty films. Her exceptional skills were recognized when she secured the grand prize at the 1995 LA Film Festival for a captivating short film ingeniously crafted using old TV studio equipment. Embarking on her career as a cinematographer and editor, Tracy joined forces with the Extraordinary Film Project. This ambitious initiative aimed to produce 12 feature films within a year, ultimately it took 20 months, but she made films in Michigan, Arizona, and California during that time. Tracy's work has gained widespread recognition, earning the national attention of the NBC Nightly News, PBS, and hundreds of film festivals. Her editing prowess and eye for detail have garnered critical acclaim and captivated audiences worldwide. Tracy now devotes herself to mentoring women in film and editing documentaries that amplify the voices of women and shed light on crucial social justice issues.
Riley Brunner has worked on various award-winning documentaries in various roles. From being a PA on set for the Netflix film “Inside the Mind of a Cat” to producing her thesis documentary “Mauna: a Portal to the Universe” Riley has enjoyed working with creative minds and learning the most effective ways to communicate. Since graduating from Ithaca College with a Bachelors in documentary studies and production she has been working as content producer for a MA based Federally Funded Research and Development Center. Riley is working on Bloodroot because of her passion to amplify real-life stories that have the power to start important conversations. She likes to read, draw, practice yoga, garden, cook and spend time with her friends.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE PROJECT
In the '70s and '80s, there were over 230 feminist restaurants, cafes, and coffeehouses throughout the United States and Canada. Bloodroot, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is now the oldest and longest lasting of those spaces, in continuous operation for over 46 years. A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot is a short documentary that explores this feminist, queer, vegan restaurant and bookstore, and illuminates the legacy of its pioneering proprietors, Selma Miriam and Noel Furie.
Our film shares the history of Bloodroot, its place in the landscape of American feminist thought, and the impact it has had on the local community. It follows the restaurant’s founders, Selma and Noel, as well as the staff and customers that reveal why Bloodroot is much more than just a restaurant. Audiences get an intimate look inside these women’s 46-year working partnership, along with how they navigate sexism, homophobia, and the reality of getting older. Despite challenges, Bloodroot has endured as a beloved space for generations of feminists, vegans, and queer people who keep coming back.
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
On the second day of shooting this project, I found myself slumped in a seat at Bloodroot. I was exhausted by the hours of prep work I had already invested, and I was now focused intently on my iPhone’s camera settings. Noel, who is also a photographer, walked up to me and said “the footage you shot yesterday looked great. Selma looked like Selma. We both looked like ourselves!”
Initially, I had questioned my decision to use mobile filmmaking methods, but I ultimately went with my gut as I wanted to capture the organic and unplanned interactions that make Bloodroot so special. Noel’s enthusiasm affirmed my decision, and a heavy weight was lifted off me. Noel continued, “You really get to know what someone thinks of you based on how you are shown on camera. It’s the person behind the lens that tells the story.” At that moment, I knew I was committed to this story for the long haul.
My name is Annie Laurie Medonis. I am a documentary filmmaker, queer artist, and vegetarian foodie. As the first couple days of shooting turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, I developed a close relationship with Selma and Noel. I have spent hours with them, not only in the restaurant, but also in their homes. I have met their children, spent time in their gardens, and even helped Selma hang up orchids in her greenhouse. Bloodroot has become a second home for me, as it has for so many others.
Selma and Noel have dedicated their lives to Bloodroot and the critical function it serves as a model for sustainable food practices and a gathering space for feminist and queer communities. At 88 and 78 years old, the story of Selma and Noel needs to be told now, while they are still with us to tell it. While a good portion of this documentary is complete, the film cannot move forward without resources. Passion is almost enough to make a film, but funds bring it to fruition. This is where you come in. Please consider supporting A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot by donating toward our post-production needs.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR
We shot the movie! Well, over 75% of it. Our director Annie Laurie has spent the last couple of years with Selma and Noel, and feels grateful to have insider access to these two badass women who have contributed so much to the feminist, queer landscape. The film benefits from the trusting relationship Annie Laurie developed with Selma and Noel, and features a peek into their daily work process and how they live their life.
WHAT IS LEFT TO DO
We now need your help to finish post-production, primarily through donations to compensate the skilled professionals who are critical to the final shape of the film. We need an editor to select and arrange the footage that tells our story best. Given the amount of time our director spent at Bloodroot and in the company of Selma and Noel, editing this project will take time. The film also requires sound design and color grading, and we intend to use original music. Finally, we need funds to promote and distribute the film once all these final touches are complete.
We intend to use the donations we receive as follows:
- Outstanding Production Needs: $1,500
- Editing: $4,000
- Color Grading: $1,500
- Sound Design: $2,000
- Music Scoring: $1,000
If we meet our stretch goal of $15,000, we will commit funds toward marketing and distribution. If we exceed our stretch goal, we will seek the services of a publicist to promote our film and assist with the film festival circuit.
Thank you for considering our project. We look forward to sharing it with you.
- For more information, email us: [email protected]
- Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @culinaryuprisingfilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing
Costs $4,000
Documentary film relies on a wonderful editor to turn hours of footage into a seamless story. We have the editor, now we need the funds!
Music Scoring
Costs $1,000
Original music adds an element that stock music just cannot. Music inspired directly by the film is much truer to our vision.
Color Grading
Costs $1,500
Color grading is often overlooked, but it contributes to the professional feel of finished project. It is a key part of post-production.
Sound Design
Costs $2,000
Audio must be mastered to bring volume levels in alignment and ensure all sounds are of the highest quality. We want our sound to sing.
Outstanding Production Needs
Costs $1,500
We need to cover costs of a couple more shoots, legal fees to ensure our production is ready for distribution, hard drives, etc.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Annie Laurie Medonis is the director and producer of A Culinary Uprising. Her passion for film has led her to travel all over the United States for film festivals, talks, and panels. She loves creating and telling stories that uplift and inspire people, often evoking strong emotions, and doesn’t limit herself to any one genre of film. Annie Laurie has received multiple awards, a nomination, and several official selections for her short films and documentaries on various topics including domestic violence, female athletes, and cats.
Vincent Cartagirone is an Associate Producer for A Culinary Uprising. He attained his BA in Music & Education from Anna Maria College with a focus in voice. He is the music teacher at All Saints Academy and provides private music lessons for Central Mass Music Academy. Additionally, Vincent is a choir member in Rock Voices, and does musical performances in the central Massachusetts area.
Sarah Parr is an Associate Producer and Social Media Strategist on A Culinary Uprising. She is a Midwest-based copywriter and production professional, as well as a graduate of Case Western Reserve University. She currently studies at Rutgers Business School. Sarah became involved with the film industry during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and has worked as a production assistant and field producer.
Colleen Kelly Poplin is an Associate Producer and Project Manager on A Culinary Uprising. Colleen is a documentary filmmaker and sound artist. Her documentary work explores gender roles, domestic life, religion, mental health, and the inextricable ties that bind these concepts together. Her most personal project, Families Can Be Together Forever, follows her journey out of the Mormon church–a journey which unexpectedly aligned with her first pregnancy. The film depicts her pregnancy from start to finish while exploring the emotional and spiritual weight of leaving Mormonism, its effect on the mother she hopes to become, and its effect on the mother who raised her. Colleen is currently an Assistant Professor of Film & Video Arts Production at Bridgewater State University.
Jay Van Pelt is a Bay Area raised filmmaker. Currently residing on the East Coast, starting off their film career in the great city of Boston. Traveling up and down the coast working as a freelance filmmaker after attending Emerson College. Where they’ve DP’d and directed multiple student films. Working as an on set sound recordist, and boom operator on multiple narrative features. Their interest in editing documentaries such as Bloodroot comes from their passionate curiosity about those in their shared world (local and global). As a well traveled filmmaker Jay believes documentaries are the truest form of life on film. Merely capturing moments they find themselves in, directing and cutting together Slices of Life is their own personal project yet to be displayed to the public.
Michael Roux was born and raised in Connecticut. He attended Full Sail University in Orlando, FL and promptly moved up to Brooklyn to begin his career in the film industry. Now living in the Big Apple, he works in the production office on narrative union productions such as The Other Two, and Dr. Death. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and brother to a vegan, this documentary spoke to him and he is thrilled to join such a welcoming, hard working crew. He also wishes to use this as an opportunity to create a stronger community within his small home state.
Sara Marković is a Serbian director and producer who brings an Eastern European perspective to her creative work in the US. She has mixed feelings about having her first feature documentary film, The Blacklisted, banned by the government due to its political controversy. Luckily, the film can be streamed on Amazon Prime and Tubi. Her short film The Brazilian traveled to Cannes Short Film Corner in 2019, she is a member of Serbian Association of Filmmakers, and she now holds an MFA of Visual and Media Arts from Emerson College in Boston. Most of her time in the US she devoted to collaborating with other talented filmmakers – in early 2023 she produced a feature fiction film Ugly Sweater for Purple Magnet Productions, and aside from 1001 Nights in Zanzibar that is in development, she is directing and producing a documentary web series Survivor’s Guide to Diaspora, in which she gives tips on how to stay sane while creating a life from scratch as a fresh new immigrant.
Grace-Mary Burega is a Boston-based composer of socially conscious documentaries, films, and media. She aims to use her strong thematic ideas as a call to action for various causes. Her music spans the orchestral, electronic, minimalist, and jazz genres. She has a love for documentaries and is excited to score A Culinary Uprising. Grace-Mary is a recent graduate of the Berklee Online Masters of Music in Film Scoring program, where she received the 2022 Student of the Year Award for Outstanding Graduate Student. She earned her undergraduate degree at Berklee College of Music in Film & TV Scoring and was awarded the 2020 Robert Share Award. Grace-Mary is the Secretary for the Female Composer Safety League and Women in Film and Video of New England. She is also currently a Recording Session Coordinator for the Screen Scoring department at Berklee College of Music.
Nikita Sampath is an award-winning visual storyteller who has produced work in North America, South Asia and East Asia. Nikita grew up in India and graduated from Boston University’s graduate program in Broadcast Journalism. She has always been drawn to stories about immigration, culture, gender and society, and is very excited to be part of the team working on A Culinary Uprising. As a filmmaker, Nikita likes to explore the intersection of health, environment and gender, especially within lesser privileged communities. She also loves to travel and cook, and understand cultures by way of it. Nikita has worked in higher education for several years, teaching filmmaking, exploring new media and producing marketing content.
Monika Piascik was born and raised in Poland. She came to the USA at the age of 22 to experience a different culture and become a leader of “financial freedom.” She has earned an Associate’s in Accounting at Norwalk Community College and a Bachelor’s of Professional Study at the University of Connecticut. There, she studied how to take a business from surviving to thriving. For the past five years, she has dedicated her life to working at CPA firms, applying school knowledge into practice. She has guided countless small business owners on how to organize their financial data so they can make informed financial decisions. Monika is passionate about professional and personal growth. She strongly believes that knowledge is power and good leaders never stop learning.
Rylee Leonard is a Massachusetts-based filmmaker and a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Film. She is currently launching her film career across the New England area while pursuing her Masters in Accounting and Finance from Southern New Hampshire University. Rylee loves traveling, reading, spending time with friends, and of course film. She is writing her first screenplay, hoping to finish it within the next year. An Associate Producer on A Culinary Uprising, she is excited to learn and be a part of this important documentary.
Tracy Nichole Cring is an Editor of more than forty films. Her exceptional skills were recognized when she secured the grand prize at the 1995 LA Film Festival for a captivating short film ingeniously crafted using old TV studio equipment. Embarking on her career as a cinematographer and editor, Tracy joined forces with the Extraordinary Film Project. This ambitious initiative aimed to produce 12 feature films within a year, ultimately it took 20 months, but she made films in Michigan, Arizona, and California during that time. Tracy's work has gained widespread recognition, earning the national attention of the NBC Nightly News, PBS, and hundreds of film festivals. Her editing prowess and eye for detail have garnered critical acclaim and captivated audiences worldwide. Tracy now devotes herself to mentoring women in film and editing documentaries that amplify the voices of women and shed light on crucial social justice issues.
Riley Brunner has worked on various award-winning documentaries in various roles. From being a PA on set for the Netflix film “Inside the Mind of a Cat” to producing her thesis documentary “Mauna: a Portal to the Universe” Riley has enjoyed working with creative minds and learning the most effective ways to communicate. Since graduating from Ithaca College with a Bachelors in documentary studies and production she has been working as content producer for a MA based Federally Funded Research and Development Center. Riley is working on Bloodroot because of her passion to amplify real-life stories that have the power to start important conversations. She likes to read, draw, practice yoga, garden, cook and spend time with her friends.