Sam Mirpoorian: Sacrifice, success, and Greener Pastures

This week, Larissa speaks with Sam Mirpoorian , an award-winning Iranian-American filmmaker. Sam explores societal themes at the intersection of time, isolation, health, and science. Sam has been busy promoting his first documentary feature, Greener Pastures, which follows 4 farmers across the Midwest. It documents their day-to-day lives on small multigenerational farms over the course of 5 years. The film is about mental health, industry nation, food production, and climate change. Sam started out doing everything: producing, directing, and driving hundreds of miles. Along the way, he got funding and support from Emmy-nominated producers. Greener Pastures was acquired by PBS and is now being screened. Larissa & Sam chat: Growing up under pressure to excel, influenced by his father's Iranian heritage His father, a tech supervisor, exposing Sam to technology and filming everything with a camcorder, which kickstarted Sam’s love for hands-on storytelling Whether it was worth it to have a childhood so focused on the hustle and grind Sam championing mental health during the making of Greener Pastures Mental health’s connection to shame and secrecy The importance of “just listening” The 5 years making greener pastures, crashing on farmers’ couches, starting with no money Thinking Greener Pastures was never going to get finished When a mentor told Sam his characters were not compelling Driving across the Midwest alone: Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin Social sacrifice, not seeing friends or dating Submitting Greener Pastures to 18 film festivals, rejected by all of them Starting with no money to linking up with David & Linda Cornfield Emmy Award-Winning Producers and getting funding money Sam’s pitching story, and being honest that he was 25 years old, had no producer, and was shooting sorority videos on the weekends Self-comparison on social media Future filmmaking dreams. Top of the list, making a high school basketball story Letting go of over-promising under-delivering Feeling like an adult for the first time Follow Sam: @WorkofSam (IG) Check out Greener Pastures Screen Greener Pastures on PBS Follow Larissa: Sign up for Seriously Authentic Newsletter with resources, tips, insights on how to be your most authentic self to achieve your dream life. @larissavictoria (LinkedIn IG) Work with me (1:1 Coaching) Original music by Haile Meirow “inside your tears” Talent Advisor Serena Board