New Hampshire Film Festival 2008

Ed Artis, James Laws and Walt Ratterman are three middle aged men whose idea of adventure is taking desperately needed food and medicine into the world's most dangerous places.The three men are self-styled Knights of Malta, and in 1995, they formed Knightsbridge International, a unique humanitarian aid organization comprised of the three individuals, whose motto is 'High Adventure and Service to Humanity.' Their specialty is going where death from landmines, bullets, or bombs is as frequent as death from hunger, disease, or the elements. As Laws tells it simply, 'We do what we can, when we can, because we can.'Artis, Laws and Ratterman are a fusion of Mother Teresa and Indiana Jones. Their personal convictions and courage drive them to places like Afghanistan, Albania, Chechnya, Cambodia, Rwanda and the southern Philippines, often before other aid organizations arrive. The three are still on the ground when other aid organizations deem things too dangerous and pull out. Artis explains: 'We're not there to change anybody's politics, we're not in the God business, and we pay our own way.'BEYOND THE CALL inspires as it entertains. The camera follows Artis, Laws and Ratterman as they take us through some of the most forbidding yet beautiful places on Earth, on a journey into the heart of humanity and the soul of courage.BEYOND THE CALL is made in the cinema vérité style of the director's previous Academy Award nominated film, Genghis Blues.