His cousin is a doctor working in Ethiopia, where over a million people are affected by the condition. However, few people know about "Podo" and Martinson is passionate about changing that.
"Nobody knows about this. And it's just something I can help with, something I can really make a difference in. And I really, really, really want to see it cured and treated," he said.
Martinson's film is powerful in its call to action. For him, there is one result that matters most.
"The documentary, when you watch it, it's not even directing people to my cousin's organization. It's directing them to any organization that will help with this," he said.
This 17-year-old shows great promise in his work. But he sees purpose in his movie-making career.
"It doesn't matter how much money I earn in the future, it doesn't matter what my status is. It just matters that I actually did something in my lifetime that can help," said Martinson.
Martinson is already reaching across the world with his abilities. He is making movies and making a difference -- that makes him our /*Cool Kid*/.
