Video: How Cookies Fueled 'Oma And Bella'

When director Alexa Karolinski set out to fund her master's thesis on Kickstarter, she had little idea that her efforts would raise over $40,000 and eventually land the film as one of the featured documentary at last weekend's Berlinale Film Festival. But Karolinski, a student at New York's School of Visual Arts, also didn't take into account the power of her grandmother's sugar cookies, which became a popular prize with funders. (Karolinski made over 1,000 at her apartment, and I can attest that they are pretty special.)

Her film Oma and Bella is the story of two Holocaust survivors living in Berlin, drawn together by their personal tragedies and passion for cooking. We look forward to the film's American debut—in theaters and on DVD—and will keep you posted as to when that happens.