Hello, friends.

I’m Courtney Eldridge, longtime writer, editor, journalist, and now, producer of Marion Poizeau’s new film, Through Broken Doors.

In collaboration with Tehran’s artist community, who dared to shoot the only known footage in existence, our greatest hope for this film is to create a living, breathing document of the price and purchase of war.

That said, this is not a political film, and this is not a film about the shock-and-awe of ballistic missiles or Hollywood-stylized fireball explosions, but rather, the quiet aftermath, where war actually takes root.

Because war isn’t paid in dollars and cents and gas prices, but in the lives lost and the countless hopes and dreams buried in rubble.

Providing a counterpoint to chaos, Through Broken Doors reveals the dead silence and violent stillness of demolished kitchens and bedrooms, as artists-turned-rescue workers—everyday people, really, just like you and me—summoned the courage to face the unknown horrors of entering the homes of perfect strangers, building after destroyed building.

Between us, Marion and I have 40+ years of filmmaking experience, and I can honestly say this film is the single most important project of our careers. To that end, we humbly ask for your support of Through Broken Doors—not only as an invaluable historical document, but because art cannot endure if the truth does not exist.

On behalf of our entire crew, from Iran to France to the United States, I sincerely thank you for your generous time, consideration, and every single contribution to this cause.

SYNOPSIS

Through Broken Doors is a short film about the artists who chose to stay in Tehran in February 2026 and volunteered as rescue workers throughout the U.S. bombing campaign. Those who bore witness with their bare hands, digging for the living and the dead buried beneath metric tons of rubble.

Documented by those artist-volunteers, this 30-minute film reveals the very real and visceral cost of war—physically, mentally, and spiritually—to those who risked their lives, then and now, to tell the truth for all to see.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

Our director Marion Poizeau’s introduction.

CREW

Coming together from all around the world, here’s the awesome team bringing this vision to life!

Courtney Eldridge - Producer (USA)

Marion Poizeau - Director (France)

Anonymous - Red Croissant Volunteer (Iranian based in France)

TEAM LINKS

Courtney Eldridge

Marion Poizeau

Director’s Interview with Lawrence O’Donnell

BUDGET

Our greatest advantage is the fact that this documentary has already been shot—and in filmmaking, that’s half the battle. However, we want to complete this film this summer, before the dust settles, literally and figuratively speaking.

That urgency is due to the importance of the footage and timeliness of the subject matter, as well as our goal of submitting Through Broken Doors to every major international festival competition in the year ahead. Listen, just because we come in peace, doesn’t mean we aren’t extremely competitive—on the contrary!

We have negotiated reduced production rates in France and our entire team is now “working on spec” at approximately half the standard U.S. pay scale. And while we must self-fund this entire film in order to maintain creative control and navigate the treacherous geopolitical waters, we are still seeking public support to complete our financing.

So, whether $5 or $500, every single donation helps us meet our campaign goal; and every one of our investor-producers, will play a critical role in this historic undertaking. Because producing a film about Tehran’s first responders—about everyday people performing the extraordinary—means producing a film about what remains of our collective humanity.

***In accordance with GoFundMe’s policies, we cannot offer any giveaways, sweepstakes or promotions to our donors.

GOALS/TIMELINE/SCHEDULE

We are a world-class team with world-class expectations—of ourselves, each other and this epic undertaking. Our primary goal is to complete a “director’s cut” by November 1, just in time to submit to the Berlinale Film Festival, followed by submissions to Rotterdam and South By Southwest (SXSW).

We’re extremely confident in our chances of acceptance into all four of those festivals, and many others over the year ahead. Namely: Locarno, Tribeca, New York Film Festival (NYFF), Toronto and Telluride.

Furthermore, given my relationship with international press outlets and Marion’s track record with film distributors around the world, we know this film will be picked up for distribution. Our goal is to make every single donor deeply proud of their vital role in that success as bona fide film producers of an internationally award-winning short film.

THANK YOU

We are grateful for your time and consideration. To each and every donor, I want you to know that our whole team is truly humbled by your generosity, your trust, and in sharing our conviction in this project. We promise to do our best to make you proud of being part of this film.

Thank you so much! Merci beaucoup! Kheili mamnoon!