Waiting for Mamu

Waiting for Mamu is a beautifully told story of Pushpa Basnet (2012 CNN Humanitarian Hero) and her work to release and care for the young children imprisoned with their parents in Nepal. It is a story of struggle and of hope. It shows a dark side of the difficult economy and the power of relentless love this young woman has for these engaging children.

A short film, we were quickly transported deep into Pushpa's world. The images, music and the telling of the tale were woven together masterfully to draw the audience into every scene. We fell in love with those beautiful, charming, funny kids. We fell in love with Pushpa Basnet, the unlikely savior working tirelessly to rescue children from a legal system that robs them of their childhood. When it came to an end, we wanted more. I highly recommend this movie. I hope they are planning a sequel.

This film opened my eyes to what happens to children of criminals in Nepal. The way the film followed the lives of each child around captivated my attention wanting me to know what happened next. Centering around Pushpa, the matriarch of these children, I could not help but want to meet and hug her in person after watching this film. My eyes teared watching her win the CNN award. I realized after wanting to take these children home to my house, that the film had touched me in an extraordinary way. The filmmakers had a way of knowing where to be and when at the right moments, every time. It's no wonder why this film won the audience award at Traverse Film Festival 2013. Great film and highly recommended.

These ten star reviews are all fake, accounts created day of review never used again

After the media represented in Kathmandu, Nepal, the children of convicted citizens are sent to prison with their parents until they are old enough to make it on their own or until their parents are released. Pushpa "Mamu" Basnet noticed this as she was earning a degree in social work, and decided to do something to change it: She started the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) in 2005 and has been working on getting these children out of prison, taking care of them and educating them ever since. The documentary follows Basnet and the children of the ECDC through their hardships and their joys, celebrating Basnet's progress even as she herself stays focused on how very far there is to go before the ECDC can afford to help all of the children still waiting in the prison. Waiting for Mamu captures the beauty of kindness, empathy and selflessness. Through interviews with the parents—most of whom are still in prison—and the children themselves, directors Morgan, Caillaud and Chen are able to portray Basnet as the true heroine she is, and provide the honest, powerful message that a single person can change the world. If everyone could follow Basnet's beliefs of passing the thanks ("Today we give it to them, tomorrow they give it to someone else"), then this world would need a great deal more documentaries.

If this documentary doesn't bring tears to your eyes, something is really wrong. Saw this at the Traverse City Film Festival and the entire audience was moved to tears. It was wonderful. A great story about a beautiful young lady, Pushpa Basnet, helping children in Nepal, whose parents have gone to prison for some reason and are unable to get anyone to care for their children. The film shows the reality of Nepalese life and many of the kids in Pushpa's care. Their lives and culture is so different from ours but when you get to know each of the kids, you can see how similar to our own kids they are. This makes the story even more meaningful and moving. I highly recommend seeing this movie.