11/18/2025
On the heels of our multi-award-winning documentary Banned Together, we are excited to partner with Exec Chef and Restaurateur Ben Ellsworth on a new docuseries called WE BUILT THIS CITY. We Built This City is a journey into the soul of the American Restaurant, celebrating its place in our culture and uncovering the stories of its unsung workforce that suffers from burnout, pay inequity, substance abuse, and pressure to perform long after the tank is empty.
The mission of the series is to explore solutions, lift up the people pushing for real change, and imagine a better future for the industry and the people who work in it. And, yes, there will be amazing food, as the series visits some of the top restaurants in the country.
If the heart of this project resonates with you, we'd love your support. Our first goal is to film footage that creates a 5-minute pitch trailer as requested by networks. Extra footage we capture will be kept to use in the series. Every contribution moves us one step closer to telling these stories with the depth and honesty they deserve. You can make a tax-deductible donation here: https://www.thefilmcollaborative.org/fiscalsponsorship/projects/webuiltthiscity
WE BUILT THIS CITY is a sweeping, fearless docuseries that uncovers the current crisis inside America’s independent restaurants and celebrates the people trying to solve it.
