Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci

First they survived for two months on $1 a day in Guatemala. Soon after, they lived in a tent in a Syrian refugee camp. And most recently, spent 10 years documenting the journey of an undocumented boy in New York City.

Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci are award-winning filmmakers and activists, who on-stage, demystify some of the world’s most complex situations — leaving audiences more connected and empowered to make a difference.

As co-founders of the non-profit Optimist, Temple and Ingrasci have created over 15 films and series that have raised $92 million dollars for the films’ causes -- changing over 329,623 lives. Their films have been released globally by HBO, Netflix, National Geographic, and PBS.

Temple and Ingrasci have received widespread acclaim as bold storytellers and compassionate leaders of social justice -- honored with the Muslim Public Affairs Council Annual Media Award, and recognized alongside Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie as two of the top 100 visionary leaders by YPO’s Real Leaders Magazine. They have been called upon to share their expertise at TEDx, the United Nations, and the World Humanitarian Summit, and have been featured on "CBS This Morning," as well as in major publications including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Variety.

They are best known for directing the feature documentaries "Living On One Dollar," "Salam Neighbor," "Five Years North," and "This Is Not Financial Advice," but their gift for storytelling also extends to the business world. As entrepreneurs, they’ve spoken at World 50 and WPO, and have collaborated with global brands, including Google, to tell their brand stories and expand their philanthropic impact. In 2023, they were recognized as two of the 40 under 40 top documentary filmmakers by DOC NYC and HBO.

Temple and Ingrasci’s own journey began almost accidentally, and at a conference. As speakers, they are equal parts inspiring and relatable, while the stories they share are guaranteed to generate empathy and to humanize the world’s most complex and divisive issues.