Disney+ to Exclusively Premiere Documentary ‘Own The Room’ on March 12

Following the success of the Emmy Award-winning, Sundance and SXSW audience favorite “Science Fair,” National Geographic Documentary Films and filmmakers Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster are joining forces once again on the feature documentary “Own the Room,” which will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on March 12.

“Own the Room” chronicles five students from disparate corners of the planet as they take their budding business ventures to Macau, China, to compete in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Santosh is from a small farming town in Nepal; Alondra works the register at her family’s bakery in Puerto Rico; Henry is a programming wiz from Nairobi; Jason is a marketing machine from Greece; and Daniela, an immigrant fleeing the crisis in Venezuela, is taking on the chemical industry from her lab at NYU.

In the uplifting film, each of the business hopefuls has overcome immense obstacles in pursuing their dreams, from hurricanes to poverty to civil unrest. As they represent their countries as the top student entrepreneurs, the high-stakes global finals are their opportunity to win worldwide attention and the coveted $100,000 grand prize to make their life-changing business ideas a reality and transform the world.

“Own the Room” is the second film from the Emmy and DuPont Award-winning documentary filmmaking duo and National Geographic Documentary Films for Disney+. “Science Fair,” from Costantini and Foster, made its streaming debut on Disney+ last year when the service launched. Additional Nat Geo Doc Films also streaming on Disney+ include the Oscar®-winning “Free Solo” and the most awarded film of 2017, “Jane.”

“The students featured in OWN THE ROOM couldn’t be from more disparate backgrounds yet they all share a common goal of addressing real problems by building their own companies from the ground up. This film is a love letter to all the small business owners and underdog entrepreneurs out there who have made the brave decision to strike it out on their own,” said co-directors Costantini and Foster. “We are excited to be working alongside National Geographic again and cannot imagine a more perfect platform than Disney+ to share these incredible stories and inspire children and adults alike to make a positive impact on our world.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering again with brilliant directing duo, Cristina and Darren, to tell this much-needed story of hope and optimism,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of Scripted Content and Documentary Films at National Geographic. “‘Own the Room’’s trailblazing group of young innovators are audaciously pushing boundaries to create a better world for generations to come, and their extraordinary work deserves our attention.”

“Own the Room” is produced by Shopify Studios and Saville Productions for National Geographic Documentary Films. Rupert Maconick and Jeffrey Plunkett serve as producers. Tobias Lütke, Jason Badal, Colin McRae, Carolyn Bernstein and Ryan Harrington serve as executive producers.

About Disney+
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. As part of Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+. Visit DisneyPlus.com to subscribe and/or learn more about the service.

About National Geographic Documentary Films
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Shopify Studios
Shopify Studios is a film and TV production company with a mission to inspire entrepreneurship via original, entertaining, and thought-provoking storytelling. Working in partnership with internationally known creators and talent, Shopify Studios develops, produces, and finances an array of content across a variety of mediums, genres, and formats—all spotlighting facets of the entrepreneurial journey. Visit shopify.com/studios to learn more.

Media Contacts
Disney+:
Andrea Gruber, Andrea.Gruber@disney.com

National Geographic Documentary Films:
Kristin Montalbano, Kristin.Montalbano@natgeo.com

Jennifer Bond, Jennifer.Bond@natgeo.com