“There is No Good Reason” is a documentary short by director Michael Mierendorf and editor Larry Marshall with help form many other people (full credits below). At present it has been featured in 26 film festivals across the United States thanks to the generous work of Larry Marshall, receiving the Indie Special Recognition Award at the Boston International Film Festival in 2008. A full list of film festivals with links where the documentary is featured appears to the left. Please contact us if you would like to use this documentary short at your event.

“There is No Good Reason” is a provocative song from the CD, Give US Your Poor: 17 New Recordings to End Homelessness (Appleseed Recordings). Nichole Cooper wrote the song when she was 15 years old, living in a Minnesota homeless shelter, expressing the emotions and experiences that accompanied her homelessness. The song was so impressive and impassioned that, upon hearing it, celebrity artist, Natalie Merchant, decided to gather a group of homeless and formerly homeless musicians and record the track.

The process of recording of “No Good Reason” turned out to be equally impressive. One musician drove across the country in a car that had no business driving that far. Boston hotels donated rooms, local restaurants donated food. Merchant, had less than three days to arrange and record the song—a process that normally takes weeks or months. Finally, working with several artists who had never set foot in a recording studio, Ms. Merchant completed the track.

The journey of the recording session was captured by filmmakers Michael Mierendorf and Lawrence Marshall in a documentary by a same name. “No Good Reason” chronicles musicians and singers from around the country, people who had never met and who are or had been homeless. The diverse group gathered in Boston to record Nicole’s song. The documentary short, “No Good Reason”, has been shown in numerous film festivals around the country. Please come see this captivating look at homelessness, collaboration and the power of music to bring us together.

Directed by: Michael Mierendorf

Written and Edited by: Lawrence Marshall

Cameras: Michael Mierendorf and Lawrence Marshall

Location Audio: Frank Coakley and Michael Vitti

Executive Producer: John McGah

Production Assistance: Bryan How

Give US Your Poor: 17 New Recordings to End Homelessness is now available through Appleseed Recordings http://www.appleseedmusic.com

Our sincere thanks to all the people that made this recording session happen.