Ali Musa - Heroic Foster Parent

The short film BUBBLES directed by Los Angeles Barea, is a finalist in the 2025 MY HERO Film Festival. The beautiful, poignant documentary is a celebration of Ali Musa, a 25-year-old Orphan, who devoted his life to caring for ten abandoned children in Mityana, Uganda.

Orphaned himself at a young age, Ali knows all too well the pain, fear, and loneliness that come with being abandoned. Yet, rather than letting his past define him, he has transformed it into a mission of compassion and resilience. Living in the heart of Mityana, Uganda, Ali has become a guardian to ten vulnerable orphans who were left to survive on the streets. Without any formal support or steady income, he opened his small home - and his heart - to these children, offering them not only shelter, but a sense of belonging, dignity, and hope.

Ali does it all - cooking meals, helping with schoolwork, comforting them through nightmares, and ensuring they feel loved every single day. Despite the hardships, he remains committed to giving these children the future he never had.

Ali contacted celebrated film director Los Angeles via Instagram, and she and a friend collected money to provide the orphans with mattresses and food. Ali, a fan of her work, asked Los Angeles to make a film about his story. She readily agreed.

The film opens with Los Angeles narrating:  

Uganda, a land full of life and youth. Half of Uganda's population is under the age of 15, representing one of the youngest populations in the world. But behind the laughter of children lies a harsh reality. Here, there are approximately 2.5 million orphans, many of whom lost their parents to aids. The children were left to fight for themselves.

Nakkitto tells the audience that this was her experience:

My name is Nakkitto Safinah. I am 14 years old, Ugandan. When my father passed away, my stepmother told me I had no place in her home. I was just a young girl with nowhere to go, no one to turn to. I was scared. From there, Alisa phoned me and brought me to his home.

Ali explains to the audience that he cares for children between the ages of two and thirteen - some are orphans, while others have a disabled parent or come from families without the means to care for them. Having lost his own parents and faced similar hardships, Ali was inspired to rescue children from the streets and welcome them into his home, determined to spare them the struggles he once endured.

Despite his dedication, many children in his community continue to face difficult circumstances: “There are still many struggling children out there. I wish I could help most of them, but my resources are limited.”

Ali dreams of expanding his efforts by building a larger, permanent shelter where the children can live safely and comfortably. With the support of generous donors, he hopes not only to provide better living conditions but also to create a sustainable future by growing their own food and achieving greater self-reliance.

Next, we see the children joyfully playing, enjoying a party, blowing bubbles, and smiling. 

Angeles narrates: 

While filming, we had a small party for the children with food cake and bubbles. Lots of bubbles to help them forget, at least for one day, the challenges they face every day to survive. They played all day long, making bubbles. Each bubble carried a wish to the sky. There were all kinds of wishes: to have a home, to go to school and learn to sleep in a warm and cozy bed... and to have a future.

As the laughter continues, poignant music plays and the children begin to transform into the very bubbles they’ve been chasing, spiraling into the sky. The image becomes a powerful metaphor for their potential futures, their ascent symbolizing hope and freedom for all children who share their struggles.

The film concludes with a series of gentle, animated scenes—visions of what the children’s futures might hold. We see them surrounded by loving families, learning in peaceful classrooms, and finally resting safely in their own cozy beds. Each image lingers like a promise of the stability, care, and belonging that every child deserves.

MY HERO asked Angeles about the significance of the bubbles:

Ali and I wanted to give the kids a day filled with pure joy. So, we organized a party with bubbles - simple, colorful, and full of magic. As I watched them play, I realized that each bubble carried a dream. These children, with their resilience and radiant spirits, may not have much, yet they smile endlessly and dream only of warmth, food, and the chance to go to school.  My filmmaking partner, Mario Diaz, helped bring this vision to life through his incredible VFX editing and production work. As Sarah Addison Allen once wrote, “Don’t you wish you could take a single childhood memory and blow it up into a bubble and live inside it forever?” And, as Julie Taymor reminds us, “We all see the world from our own little unique bubble.” Let’s strive to create brighter, kinder bubbles—and give hope to these children.

Watch the film here: /myhero.com/bubbles

PASSWORD: BUBBLES2025

About the Filmmaker

Los Angeles Barea is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of SinAmor Films, recognized for using storytelling to drive social change. Her acclaimed documentary GREEN SUPERHEROES 2030, now on Amazon Prime, follows 10 young environmentalists developing innovative solutions to combat climate change. The film has earned multiple international honors, including the Green World Award, Grand Jury Prize at the Awareness Film Festival, Best Feature at the San Diego International Kids Film Festival, and the Youth Activist award at the 2024 MY HERO Film Festival. Building on its impact, Barea launched The Green Superheroes Movement, a nonprofit empowering youth-led environmental activism.

Previously, she wrote and directed Buy Me a New Life, a short addressing school bullying and gun violence, and went on to direct her debut feature, The Paper Boat, which won Best Feature Film at the New York International Film Awards and Best Director at the Madrid International Film Festival. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

About the MY HERO International Film Festival:

The My Hero Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing films that celebrate the power of the human spirit. Thanks to generous sponsors, prizes are awarded to elementary, middle school, high school, college, and professionals in a variety of categories, including documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more.

The festival aims to inspire audiences to recognize the heroism in their own lives and encourage positive actions in their communities. Learn more.