New York Film Academy Alumni

ALUMNI SUCCESS STORIES

Antonio Campos

A native New Yorker, Antonio began making films at thirteen when, lying about his age and claiming to be sixteen, he was accepted into the New York Film Academy where he wrote and directed the short film, "Puberty".

In 2005 his short film "Buy It Now" was selected for the Cannes Film Festival where it won 1st Prize Cinefondation.

Antonio was nominated for Best Breakthrough Director in 2008 for his film "Afterschool" at the prestigious Gotham Awards.

In 2009, "Afterschool" premiered at Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard to high critical acclaim.

Antonio was nominated in 2009 for Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards, one of the independent film world's highest honors for indie film.

Variety compared his filmmaking to illustrious filmmaker Michael Heneke. Antonio was also named one of Variety's 10 Directors to Watch in 2009.

Rohit Gupta

New York Film Academy congratulates Rohit Gupta, who attended the Filmmaking Program at New York City Campus. His first film Another Day Another Life that is currently in over 40 competitions around the world including UK, Europe, Asia & US and been recently Nominated for the "Best First Film" in UK and Selected for Screening in Ireland/Thailand/South Africa. To date Another Day Another Life has won the following awards and commendations:

Officially Selected:
Short Film Corner – Cannes '09

Winner: The Accolade Int. Competition - 3 Awards of Merit (USA)
Best Short Film '09 (Student)
Direction
Dramatic Impact
Winner:
Swansea Bay Film Festival '09 (UK)
Best First Film - North America

Nominated:
Best First Film under 45 minutes - Ireland International Film Festival '09
Best Film under 60 minutes - Hoboken Int. Film Festival '09 (USA)
16th Annual Student Film Competition '09 - aka Rack Focus - Carnegie Mellon University (USA)

Official Selection:
Best First Film - Thailand, South Africa, Heart of England Int. Film festival '09
Best Film under 10 Mins - Washougal Int. Film Festival '09 (USA)
Best Film under 6 Mins - Urban Suburban Int. Film Festival '09 (USA)
Action on Film Int. Film Festival '09 (USA)

Learn more about them on:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1355681/
www.RNGfilms.com

Chester Jones III

New York Film Academy congratulates Chester Jones III for completing his feature film, Hey Diddle Diddle, which is the top rated film out of over 100+ films in the Hollywood Black Film Festival 2009. Chester attended the New York Film Academy's Evening Filmmaking Program at the New York City Campus in 2005.

Check out the stats here:
http://hollywoodblackff.bside.com/2009/

Alexander Bruckner & Ali Askari

New York Film Academy congratulates Alexander Bruckner and Ali Askari, who attended the One-year Filmmaking Program at Universal Studios Campus in 2006 for premiering their film, Addicts, at the Hollywood Black Film Festival in June 2009.

Learn more:
Hollywood Black Film Festival 2009 : Addicts

Jong W. Lee

Jong W. Lee, who attended NYFA's One Year Filmmaking program in 2001, shot Roses Have Thorns. He is the director of the film. His film, Roses Have Thorns tells the story about a cross cultured couple with a strained relationship. As the events unfold in a voyeuristic view through each persons perspective we experience the hidden agendas and views of everyone involved. Separated through various colors of roses leading to the prick of the thorn that lies beneath their perspecitve of what happened.

Roses Have Thorns is the winner of 'Best Feature Film' from Buffalo Niagara Film Festival 2009.

In 2008, Roses Have Thorns have been Officially selected by New York International Independent Film & Video Festival SoCal Independent Film Festival, Napervilie Independent Film Festival, Red Bank International Film Festival and Oakland International Film Festival.

Learn more about him and his films on www.cinemasia.org.

Rob Margolies

New York Film Academy congratulates Rob Margolies, who attended the Academy in the summer of 2000 and is screening his first film, Lifelines at Quad Cinema.

Friday, April 3, 2009
There will be a Q & A after 3pm show on
Saturday, April 4th and Sunday, April 5th.

Jonathan Charles

Jonathan Charles, who attended the One Year Acting Program at New York Film Academy just wrapped his first feature film called "In the Midnight Hours" directed by Stanley Henson Jr.

Click Here to Learn more about Jonathan Charles.

Tom Linszen

Tom Linszen, who attended New York Film Academy Filmmaking program in 2007, together with the well-known documentarymaker Willy Lindwer (Emmy Award winner) have made the documentary Anna's Silent Struggle which will be shown in March at the Deaf Rochester Film Festival.

Find out more about Anna's Silent Struggle.

Ben Goldenberg

Ben Goldenberg, who attended the MFA
Filmmaking Program at Universal Studios
Campus and Jason Gossbee have had
their five-minute short film White Collar
Criminals take second prize in YouTube's
Project:Direct Competition.

on GlobeandMail.com about Ben
Goldenberg and his short film White
Collar Criminals

Theo Doro

Theo Doro, who attended One Year Acting Program at New York Film Academy is starring in an Off-Broadway show called "Dammerung" at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row from January 8 thru January 25, 2009.

Stjepan Klein, Milovan Radovic, Tiago Guedes, and Masataka Namba

Stjepan Klein, Milovan Radovic, Tiago Guedes, and Masataka Namba, who attended NYFA in 1997/1998 are now working as advertising film directors collective under name of John Doe.
In 2007, they won a Grand Prix in Cannes for a commercial for Spanish market in Direct Marketing section.

Learn more about them on www.johndoefilms.tv.

Anne-Sophie

Anne-Sophie Dutoit at the LA Premiere of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", Woody Allen's new film at the Village Theater in Westwood, California

Press

Anne Sophie's Official Web Site
Faded Memories is Anne Sophie's first feature film

Feature Film: Through the Glass

Stephanie Okereke
(8 week film and 8 week screenwriting)
Actor, Writer, and Director

Jane Lawata
(one year producer) - Editor

Sarah Ogechni Onyeahor
(one year prodcuer) - AD

Annie Wood & Frederik Boll

August 2008 1-year Documentary Program grads, Annie Woods and Frederik Boll, are "driving the movement" in the BamaBus, working to bolster the youth vote in the swing states. Annie and Frederik are, literally, driving a bus across the country and documenting their efforts. Their journey has garnered much attention over the last few weeks. Click on the following links to see some of their footage and press coverage.

Here's what Time had to say about the BamaBus photo:
(at http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/bamabus.html)
Barack Obama on Flickr: The historic 2008 election inspired thousands of people around the world to post their Obama-themed photography and art on the image-sharing site Flickr. Here is the best of the 100,000 ../../img/alumni TIME examined.

Learn more on http://www.artthechange.org/obamamobile/

YouTube vlogs: BamaBus 1, BamaBus 2

Background: This trip is essentially chapter 2 of what began as the "Obama Sisters" (Annie Woods and her sister Samantha) inaugural trip in August, when the sisters drove their Obama Mobile, a Volvo completely covered in Obama stickers, to the Democratic National convention getting press all along the way. Annie completely forgot to ever plug herself as a filmmaker during that trip (in spite of my repeated nudging). The Doc tie-ins are much better this trip.

Jessica Rose

I Know Who Killed Me
"Lonelygirl15" .

NYFA 1 Year Filmmaking Program: Chip McAllister

Chip McAllister
1 year Filmmaking Program at
Universal Studios

NYFA thesis film, "Precious Time" is proudly accepted to the 2009 Vines Shorts Fest.

NYFA Alumni: Jennifer Gargano

Jennifer Gargano – New York 2005
Blood, Sweat & Brando
Birds of America
The Sopranos
Gracie
Natale a New York
Wonder Showzen
Hamlet in the Hamptons

Thomas Zinsli

We are very proud of our former student, Thomas Zinsli who attended NYFA's One Year Filmmaking program in 2007, his film, Lesson in Humility, won the award for "Best Editing" at the Strasbourg Film Festival in France and the "Best Director" award at the New York Short Film Festival. In the meantime the film was officially selected for the program of eight festivals in the USA and Europe.
Learn more about him and his films on www.thomaszinsli.com.

Diane Neal

Law & Order

Jenny McNabb

Jenny McNabb, who attended NYFA's 8-week Filmmaking program in 2005, shot COWBOY: A LOVE STORY, a five-minute comedy short, as her final project. She is the writer, director, and producer of the film.

COWBOY is the sly tale of a delusional young ranch hand who travels to the city on foot to win back his one true love. While her disapproving family has warned him away, and she seems unresponsive, he remains obsessed.

This summer (2008), COWBOY was picked up for distribution by Shorts International, who will be handling worldwide sales.

Shorts International has also chosen COWBOY as one of two shorts they are qualifying for the 2009 Academy Awards, and plan to launch COWBOY on iTunes in the near future.

COWBOY's festival run so far includes the first Alamosa Film Festival, Flatland Film Festival, Tucson Film & Music Festival, and Wildsound Toronto.

Currently, Jenny is in pre-production on her next short film and finalizing the script for her feature directing debut.

JOSHUA LEONARD

Congratulationsto New York Film Academy film school graduate, Joshua Leonard, for his impressive body of work.

You may remember Joshua from the feature, “The Blair Witch Project” which ran a very successful viral marketing campaign to promote the documentary style film. He also acted in the HBO Films production “Live From Baghdad” starring Michael Keaton and has many other film and television credits. Most recently, Joshua directed a documentary called “Beautiful Losers” about the DIY artistry of creative people involved in underground movements during the Nineties.

Ron Davis

We are so very proud of our former student Ron Davis who attended The New York Film Academy and in 2004 and was a top 10 finalist in the Esquire Magazine filmmaker competition with his film, "The Business Traveler". Now, as Co-Director/Producer of the film "PAGEANT" we are taken behind the scenes as 52 ordinary gentlemen go to extraordinary lengths in order to be crowned the 34th Miss Gay America®. This contest is about the art of illusion, so hormones and surgical body enhancements are forbidden.

The movie follows 5 of the most talented and beautiful female impersonators as they prepare to dominate in this underground competition. Hear from the men as well as from those in their entourage: husbands, mothers, sons, and little brothers.

Pageant features stunning musical numbers, while diving into the heart and soul of this make-believe world: the men behind the make up. Everybody has a dream; these men are making theirs a reality. The film has won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at Frameline, the Jury Award for Best Documentary at Honolulu, the Audience Award for Best Feature at Newfest, as well as being official selections at Slamdance and Edinburgh. PAGEANT also won the audience award for best doc at the Florida Film Festival.

"PAGEANT" points out that Slamdance, which is now established enough to insist it is "less and less the redheaded stepchild of Sundance and more of its own special, viable construct," has a knack for picking docs that are wackier and more human than the ones at Sundance."
-Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"It will steal your heart away in a way you'd never expect. Everyone will have a favorite."
-Amy Sewell, Filmmaker, MAD HOT BALLROOM

Courtney Feming

Courtney Fleming – Universal
The United States of Tara (Pilot)
An American Carol (filming)
The Goods: The Don Ready Story (filming)
Surfer Dude (post production)
Still Waiting… (post production)
Street Dreams (completed)
Greek
Senior Skip Day
Not Another HS Show

Mohamed Diab

Mohamed Diab, who attended NYFA’s Screenwriting Program in 2005, is breaking box office records in Egypt with his latest film, El Gezira (The Island). Based on a true story about civil wars taking place in Upper Egypt, the film tells the story of the struggle between warring tribes, police and local drug lords.

Diab collaborated in on the film with one of Egypts biggest directors, Sherif Arafa. El Gezira is Diab's second feaure length film after Ahlam Hakikiya (Perchance to Dream).

Learn more about Diab's film by visiting the official site - www.elgezirafilm.com .

Angelica Alvarez

Angelica Alvarez – New York 2006
You’re Nobody until Somebody Kills You
Coming Soon
Triple Trouble
Damages-TV
Verizon-commercial
Ebay-Commercial
Miss Dominican Republic Latina 2006

Pedro Ultreras

Recent NYFA graduate Pedro Ultreras is currently premiering his debut feature-length film at multiple International film festivals, including the New York International Latino Film Festival, taking place on July 24th. His film, 7 Soles (Seven Suns) tells the story of "Negro" (Gustavo Sánchez Parra) who gets hired to smuggle a group of undocumented migrants into the United States. He wants out of the smuggling business and claims this will be his last trip. His superiors, now suspicious, send Gavilán, a younger smuggler, to keep an eye on him. During the troubled crossing that lasts seven days across the Arizona desert, the smugglers fight and eventually lose part of their human “cargo.” “Negro” now finds himself on the run –from his former associates and the law.

Check out the trailer for 7 Soles on the film's official site, www.7soleslapelicula.com

Gianfranco L'Amore

Gianfranco L'Amore moved to LA in 2000, and upon completing his training at NYFA, he has appeared in films such as: Jekyll, The Good German, Date Movie, Fun with Dick and Jane, Monster-in-Law, Ocean’s Twelve and many more. He currently has 2 films in post-production and has done stunt work for television shows such as The Amazing Race.

Trevor Matthews

Trevor Matthews, New York Film Academy Alumni and co-founder of Brook Street Pictures Corporation will be debuting his first feature film in Ottawa, Canada this coming Friday, July 17, 2008. The film, Brooks: Monster Slayer is a horror flick which stars Matthews and actor Robert Englund who was made famous in his role as child-killer, Freddie Kruger.

This isn’t the first film that Matthews has directed or starred in. He has also been in 2007’s Moment of Truthas well as Still Life and Teen Massacre.

Dyana Liu

Since completing NYFA, Dyana already has two feature films in post-production, Por Vida and Thunder Geniuses. She has also appeared in the TV Show, The Unit. Currently, Dyana is in production of Director, Wu Ping's film, Between the Sand and the Sky.

Irman Khan

Irman Khan attended film school at our Universal Studios, Hollywood location and ironically studied directing. He even worked briefly as a director in Los Angeles before being cast in Bollywood blockbuster "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na".

Khan just wrapped his second film "Kidnap" set to come out this August. He is keeping busy and just started work on his third film feature film"Luck". We wish our new Bollywood star all the luck in the world. We can't wait to see his upcoming films!

Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeYUYIlRz7Q

Danny Lopes

Danny Lopes – New York
The Ocean (pre-production)
Co-Ed Confidentials
Brothers and Sisters
Satan’s Playground
Nikos
Horror
Desecration

Eddie Mariano

NYFA alumni, Eddie Mariano recently won the Toshiba "One to Watch" competition. Toshiba asked filmmakers to create a thirty second spot highlighting all the aspects of their new REGZA LCD, while keeping the commercial light and humorous.

Marianos commercial is currently being featured on Toshiba’s REGAZA show room site. We are excited to see the commercial getting so much attention and we are sure he had a bright future ahead of him!

COMMERCIAL: http://tacp.toshiba.com/regza/commercial.html

Patricia Goodsell

Patricia Goodsell – Universal 2005
The Eye
Rush Hour 3
Antigone
Yes I Do Forever
Aspiring Angels

Paulo Costas

Alumni, Paulo Costas will be participating in the fifth annual Salento International Film Festival (SIFF). Costas will be competing in the category, “The World in Short.” Filmmakers in this category will fight for the title of best international short-film. Costas has chosen to enter his film, “Direct Mail” which he created while attending the New York Film Academy.

Good Luck!

Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTvbLPdxGkU

Jen Araki

Jen Araki is a member of SAG with television credits such as: Sopranos, The Mens Room, The Post Show, Beach Girls Trailer and worked with stations such as MTV, VH1, Lifetime, and Spike Productions. Film credits include: Super Ex Girlfriend, December 16, Case Cold, and Formal Rocks.

COOKIE

We congratulate the production company, LMF Productions and our three producing alumni who are partners in the company they formed while at NYFA. Their movie "COOKIE" will participate in the New Latino Filmmakers Screening Series at Anthology Film Archives (New York's only independent Latino "cinematheque" showcase). It's About: Three boys from Queens. A missing wallet. And a prostitute named Cookie.

Here is the link to the trailer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uBH9dZebIFE

Hadley Hege

Hadley Hege – New York 2005
The Audition (off-Broadway)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Love on a Bicycle

YLENIA CASTILLO, ERIKA COLON, AND YADIRA GARCIA

"Rag Doll" produced at NYFA by Erika Colon (written & directed by NYFA alum Cecile Davidovici) was accepted into the Women's International Film Festival in Miami, Florida. Not only did the film receive great reviews from the audience but the film won BEST INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FILM.

Also, a film Yadira Garcia produced at NYFA titled, "Precious Pretentious" (written & directed by NYFA alum Sara Seligman) was accepted into the Clermont-Ferrand library. Mini Movie Channel, a newly created multimedia outlet are interested in acquiring the rights to the film for commercial exhibition. Mini Movie Channel is an international company headquartered in Luxembourg and dedicated to short films. LMF Productions is also working with Sara Seligman to create webisodes based on this short film. Filming is scheduled for Summer 2008.

We look for big things from our LMF alumni as they have numerous projects in varying stages of production.

DIETER GROHMANN

Dear friends from the New York Film Academy,

After my time with you in summer 2006, my life changed entirely. My career boosted and I could achieve what I always have loved to do: to combine passion with job and vice versa. Already having studied at the Filmcollege in Vienna, your tutors, trainers, lecturers and the colleagues from my special workshop really were the wind beneath my wings. Thanks again for your passion.

With this email I may open my (private) website, which shows extracts of my work, especially as filmdirector.

Enjoy watching.
http://www.dietergrohmann.eu

Sincerely,

Dieter Grohmann

Turning on your loudspeakers and benevolent remarks are welcome.

JOHNNY COTUGNO

Started his journey in film making at NYFA back in 1998 and his first feature was completed this December. It is to premier March 16 at Tribeca Cinemas in a festival called Sundays in the City. The name of the movie is Johnny Appleweed.
Here is the link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJRFcUuKD50
You can see the show here: http://www.sundaysinthecity.com/2008.htm

ANNE SOPHIE

"The NYFA has literally, and I mean it, changed my life! I took a 3 month weekend filmmaking class in the Fall of 2006 (I was 15) without expecting much. The short film I made at the end of the program landed some international awards and allowed me to finance my first feature film, FADED MEMORIES, that will be out this year!" Please see my KTLA interview:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2085239475
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.splash

KEMER STEVENSON

Kemer Stevenson graduated from the first NYFA one year animation program in 2004. After moving to LA he has had great success working on 3-D Animation and Visual Effects for motion pictures including The Incredible Hulk, Evan Almighty, Happy Feet, Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties and The Golden Compass. We are happy to have had him teach for us as well in the our Four-Week summer animation intensive at Harvard.

See all of Kemers movies at: http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm2177719/

SERGIO ROBERTO CECARINI

Sergio Roberto Cecarini. graduated from the NYFA one year animation program in May '07, after which he returned to his home in Milan Italy where he found employment modeling, lighting and rending architectural elements for a large Architectural concern. http://www.maiorausa.com/ Sergio is now working for Yacht design company Maiorausa: creating models and renderings of their Yachts. Sergio is looking forward to returning to the west coast and working in the film industry in CA in the near future. http://stifmaister.altervista.org/

SCOTT CULLEN

Scott Cullen graduated from the NYFA one year animation program in May '07. He subsequently acted as a teaching assistant at our one month summer animation intensive in Harvard.Scott has recently been hired by Sky Window
Studios in NYC to supervise their animation studio.

Scotts reel may be viewed at: http://www.scullen3d.com

ROBERT MALKANI

Robert Malkani is a graduate of the filmmaking course. Prior to that he was an investment banker with absolutely no film related experience and no connections in the industry. Since taking NYFA filmmaking class he has produced three films - two of which he has written. His latest film, DAY ZERO (starring Elijah Wood, Chris Klein, Ginnifer Goodwin and Ally Sheedy - he wrote and executive produced it) It hits theaters on January 18th. The film is about three best friends who get drafted to serve in the US military on the same day and have thirty days to come to terms with their fate. It's set in a semi-fictionalized near future . . .

"I am a shining example of where NYFA alumni can go after the school . . ." Robert Malkan has produced and written several films . . . and he has two more set to go into production in 2008.

MARTING TERNSTROM

Martina Ternstrom is recent graduate of New York Film Academy's One-Year Producing Program and currently serving as a Coordinator for Magnolia Pictures's. She plays a role in practically every one of the company and sister companies (production, DVD distribution and TV channel) departments. All while keeping track of everything from delivery of new titles, release schedule, delivery to foreign distributors, Video On Demand in hotels all the way down to when Magnolia's next trailer will be final and on screen.

KATRIN MUFF

A recent graduate of NYFA, Katrin Muff a producer for Catpics Ltd. in Switzerland has produced "Late Bloomers", the official Swiss entry for the Academy Awards in the category of "Best Foreign Language Film“.

The world premiere of "Late Bloomers“ on August 4th, 2006 in front of approx. 8’000 viewers at the Piazza Grande during the Locarno Film Festival (Switzerland) was celebrated with a standing ovation. Stephanie Glaser, the lead actress, was awarded for her life work with a "Special Leopard". The film received the award for "Best lead actress“ (Annemarie Düringer) at the Filmfestival "Cinéma Tout Ecran“ in Geneva (2006). Catpics was founded in 1984, after receiving the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for "Journey of Hope" by Xavier Koller in 1991, Catpics Coproductions Ltd. produces independent feature films and documentaries for both cinema and TV.

DOROTTYA MATHE

Dorottya Mathe - a New York based Hungarian independent Producer - graduated from the New York Film Academy’s One-Year Producing Course in August 2007. During her studies she started to work on a concise retrospective documentary titled “Devoted To Dance” on the career of IVAN MARKO a celebrated 61-year old Hungarian ballet dancer and choreographer who after being a soloist for 7 years at Maurice Bejart’s company dancing with Judith Jamison and Suzanne Farrell, being elected by the American Critics amongst the world’s top ten ballet dancers in the 70’s - despite of his enormous success - returned to Hungary forming his own troupes driving them to dazzling artistic heights worldwide while being on the verge of existence fighting for financial support for his ensembles on a daily basis. 0=

By now, her thesis project became a reality, the principal photography has recently started in Hungary in order to create a trailer for raising money to acquire archive material from broadcasters and continue shooting performances, interviews not only in Hungary but abroad as well.
For more information visit www.devotedtodance.com
Produced and Directed by Dorottya Mathe.

PEPPERONI

Directed and Produced by Alumni Mexican filmmaker Fausto Estrada Guerrero and Co-Produced by Alumni Hungarian producer Dorottya Mathe it is a drama about a homeless man, Jerry who has been wandering around Brooklyn with his shopping cart full of his belongings. He hasn’t showered for days, he is unshaved, his clothes are ragged and dirty so people avoid him making comments on his outlook. However, one day when he least expects it, Jerry makes an encounter that will change his way of seeing the world and himself.

Producers are very proud and grateful that the illustrious French composer Jacques Davidovici composed a wonderful music to their film.

Pepperoni had been screened at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival this year and as a result of it’s success has been accepted to such other prestigious festivals as the Mise-en-scenes Short Film Festival in Korea and the San Gio Video Festival in Italy.

Visit the following site to see the film:
www.youtube.com/mdorothy

NATASHA WOOD

In a wheelchair since birth, absolutely nothing confines this 36-year-old witty Brit's spirit. Meet Natasha Wood - graduate of the New York Film Academy 1-year program who tells tales from England, New York and L.A. and how she meets life head on: "Rolling With Laughter" - a one woman show, previews April 2nd and 3rd, performances April 9th - May 8th, 8PM.

For more information: www.elportaltheatre.com

IN THE THEATERS: NYFA GRADUATES BENNETT DAVLIN & ANTHONY BADALUCCO

"Memory" a psychological thriller written / directed / and produced by New York Film Academy alumni Bennett Davlin and written / produced by New York Film Academy alumni Anthony Badalucco opens March 23, 2007

THE MOVIE STARS TWO TIME OSCAR NOMINEE DENNIS HOPPER, TWO TIME OSCAR NOMINEE ANN-MARGRET, "TITANIC" STAR BILLY ZANE, AND "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'S NUMBER SIX" TRICIA HELFER.

The theatres are:
NEW YORK / LANDMARK SUNSHINE THEATER - NEW YORK STARTING MARCH 23RD, 2007.
143 E Houston Street (Cross Street: Between Forsyth Street and Eldridge Street) New York, NY 10002-1018 (212) 330-8182

LOS ANGELES / LAEMMLE'S THEATRE 4 2ND AVE. - SANTA MONICA, CA STARTING MARCH 23RD, 2007
1332 2nd St. Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310) 394-9741
www.laemmie.com
You can check out a trailer of the film at www.memorethemovie.com

AWARD WINNING ACTOR PAUL DANO-LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, LIE, GIRL NEXT DOOR

BROADCAST FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS
2007	Won	BFCA Award	Best Young Actor for: Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Fantasporto
2003	Won	Director's Week Award	Best Actor for: L.I.E. (2001)
Gotham Awards
2006	Nominated	Best Ensemble Cast	for: Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Shared with: Gret Kinnear Toni Collette Steve Carrell Abigail Breslin Alan Arkin
Independent Spirit Awards
2007	Nominated	Independent Spirit Award	Best Supporting Male for: Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
2002	Won	Independent Spirit Award	Best Debut Performance for: L.I.E. (2001)
L.A. Outfest
2001	Won	Grand Jury Award	Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film for: L.I.E. (2001) Tied with Kett Turton for Gypsy 83 (2001).
Screen Actors Guild Awards
2007	Won	Actor	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for: Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Shared with: Alan Arkin Abigail Breslin Steve Carell Toni Collette Greg Kinnear
Stockholm Film Festival
2001	Won	Best Actor	for: L.I.E. (2001)

VENEZUELAN KIDNAP DRAMA IS A BREATHLESS RUSH THROUGH HELL

"Secuestro" means kidnap. And in case you were in any doubt about what's about to happen in writer/director Jonathan Jakubowicz's breathless debut feature, he kick-starts it with a close-up of a kidnapper's eyes and a threat. We're about to play Venezulan roulette, a voice explains. "I spin the chamber, but you're the only player."

As the opening sequence of a thriller, it's an effective gambit, and Secuestro Express is never less than kinetic. But in those scene-setting moments, Jakubowicz is also taking the audience hostage. He spins the chamber; we can only wait for the bang.

Secuestro Express is the biggest-grossing film in its native Venezuela. Its success has been phenomenal, overtaking Titanic and The Passion of the Christ, and appealing to an audience not in the habit of going to the cinema.
It's a political film, and Jakubowicz is a director with serious intentions. But he's just as commited to entertainment. Frequently, he achieves a mix of both approaches, as in the scene where the kidnap victim's father is being guided through a decrepit grade school. The voice on his mobile phone tells him to pay attention to the children playing around him: "Be stupid, they die."

Mostly, Secuestro is a riot of speed, danger and movement. When he showed a rough cut to his mentor, Robert Rodriguez, the Sin City director told him to slow it down, as the audience could only be expected to cope with so much jeopardy. Jakubowicz added a few contemplative interludes, but Secuestro remains a rare example of a film where the director's cut would be shorter.

JEFF ZIMBALIST, DIRECTOR OF FAVELA RISING

"Favela Rising" has been nominated for:

Best Feature Film 2005 - IDA Documentary Achievement Award

Winner of Best Emerging Documentary Filmmaker - Tribeca Film Festival

Best Documentary Audience Award - Leeds International Film Festival

Winner of Audience Award - Roxbury International Film Festival

Winner of Audience Choice Award - Sidewalk Moving Pictures Festival

Winner of Best Documentary - Cinema Paradise Film Festival

Winner Best Documentary - Northhampton Film Festival

Winner Best of Show - Tulipanes Latino Art and Film Festival

Winner Best Editing - Woodstock Film Festival

Winner Best Documentary - NY Latino Film Festival

Winner of Overall Festival Winner - Annapolis Film Festival

YVONNE FARROW - GRADUATE OF THE NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY, CLASS '98

Ms. Farrow won a scholarship from Career Transition for Dancers to attend the New York Film Academy at UCLA in 1998, where she wrote, produced, directed and edited three 16mm short silent films. The Break-Up screened at the Women of Color and Reel Alternative Film Festivals. Movements, her final project (a ten minute excerpt from her stage play), was nominated “Best Short” at the 1999 Pan African Film Festival, won Second Place at the Black Filmmaker Hall of Fame and aired nationally in 2003 on The African American Filmmaker’s Show. In 2004 Yvonne was one of ten in the nation selected for ABC Entertainment’s Talent Development Scholarship/Grant Program to write, produce and direct her short film, I’d Rather Be Dancing. This thirty minute Super-16 short film and her first sync-sound project, was nominated “Best Short” at the 2005 Pan African Film & Arts Festival and FESPACO, an international film festival, where it was nominated for the Paul Robeson Award, “Best of the Best” in the African Diaspora, Special Prize for “Special Interest”, Short Drama. A heavy favorite, IRBD is now a part of the permanent FESPACO film archives. An actress, Yvonne also won “Best Actress” at the American Theater of Harlem Film Festival for her role as Monta Cummings in I’d Rather Be Dancing. IRBD has screened in more that 30 film festivals nationally and abroad and has aired on BET-J Short Film Showcase and WGHB Public Television. At the completion of this program, Ms. Farrow was invited to pitch IRBD to ABC/Disney executives as a television series, move-of-the-week and feature film (which she is currently writing). Yvonne shares a production company with her twin sister, Yvette Heyliger, entitled TWINBIZ, whose mission is to write, direct and produce original projects for stage, television and film which educate, entertain and serve. Please visit www.twinbiz.com for more information.

BABAR AHMED, DIRECTOR OF ROYAL KILL

The new movie, “Royal Kill,” directed by an NYFA alumnus and starring Academy Award nominees Pat Morita and Eric Roberts, will be released in 2007. The story is about an American teen who is revealed as a royal princess. The Kingdom’s most deadly assassin has been sent to kill the young princess as the fate of the Kingdom depends upon her survival.

Further details: http://www.royalkill.com/

STORY
A fierce assassin from an Eastern Kingdom is sent to America to kill a teenage girl living in Washington DC. A noble guard is sent to America to protect the girl. This young girl does not know it but she is the last living heir to the Kingdom of Samarza.

BABAR AHMED
According to NBC 4 television Babar Ahmed is part of "the new breed of filmmakers who make movies which look good on a budget. Babar has received headline news on BBC world television, NBC 4, and CH 9 WUSA. He has been covered in major trade papers such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. His last movie “Genius” is multi-award winning and available nationwide on video.

PAT MORITA (ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE)
He became an on-screen hero to millions of adults and kids alike as the wise and wonderful "Mr. Miyagi" in The Karate Kid (1984). Sparkling Morita was back again dishing out Eastern philosophy & martial arts lessons for The Karate Kid, Part II (1986), and The Karate Kid, Part III (1989) and even for The Next Karate Kid (1994). Morita has acted in over 70 films and played the often perplexed restaurant owner "Arnold" in two stints on the hugely popular "Happy Days" http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001552

ERIC ROBERTS (ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE)
Older brother of actress Julia Roberts, Eric Roberts appeared on the stage as a child and starred in the 1989 Broadway production of Burn This. He delivered a fine performance as the deranged husband in Star 80 (1983) and was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in Runaway Train (1985). He has had leading roles and supporting roles in a series of cult classics such as “The Coca-Cola Kid” (1985), “The Pope of Greenwich Village” (1985), “Cecil B. Demented” (2000), “The Cable Guy” (1986), and “Final Analysis” (1992). Official website: www.ericrobertsactor.com

LALAINE PARAS
Lalaine Vergara-Paras, or simply Lalaine, is best known for her role as Miranda Sanchez, in the hit TV series "Lizzie McGuire (2001)" as Lizzie's best friend. She has recently been signed by Warner Music.

GAIL KIM
2003 WWE Wrestling Champion. Considered by many in the industry as the best female wrestler in the world. Official website: http://www.thegailkim.com

ALEXANDER WRAITH
A former Calvin Klein model and amateur boxer, Alexander found that his best means of expression was in acting when he was accepted as a student of Harold Guskin in New York. His never ending quest to discover the best mentor and technique was fulfilled when he became accepted as a student at George DiCenzo's Master class and finally at Carnegie Hall for Robert Modica's Studio. He studyied as often as he could to master his art and prove that he was dedicated, passionate, and eager to bring back the style of the classic actors to the screen today. His credits include “Hitch”, “Kinsey” and “Good Sharma”.

Photo is from a preliminary shoot in Washington DC and includes Director Babar Ahmed with actors Pat Morita and Mina Hoti, reading through a script.

TRIBECA REVIEW: THE BIG BAD SWIM

When screening film after film at a festival, I tend to go into each knowing only the title as well as the time and place it is being shown. Usually I try to scan quickly through the movie guide for a briefing on the synopsis, but rarely do I think to check whether the film I'm about to see is fiction or non-fiction. Most of the time I make an assumption which it is from the guide's plot outline, but occasionally I'm caught off guard. For instance, "The Big Bad Swim" is not the documentary about an adult swimming class that I expected it to be. And I'm actually quite thankful that it isn't.

Instead, the film is a multi-character story centered around an adult swimming class where the students, ranging from a teenage girl to a middle-aged cop to an elderly woman, all share the common bond of never having taken that big dip into a recreational pool. Not all of the characters are prominently featured, though; the major plotlines concern Amy (Paget Brewster of the Showtime series Huff), a high school teacher in the middle of a divorce, Jordan (Jess Weixler), a Mohegan Sun card dealer who's also a stripper, and Noah (Jeff Branson), a one-time Olympic hopeful turned depressed swimming instructor.

As if my initial mistake wasn't enough, I remained confused for the first few minutes of the film, which opens with individual shots on each student as they introduce themselves on the first day of the class. Still thinking the movie was a documentary, my first impression was that it seemed very staged. This only made things more interesting because as the story unfolded, I accepted the film as one of the least artificial fiction films I've ever seen at a film festival.

While most new independent filmmakers try too hard with extraneous humor and insincere attempts to invent never-before-seen dramatic developments, director Ishai Setton and his screenwriter Daniel Schechter keep it extremely simple. That isn't to say the movie is boring, because I never felt like I'd seen these people before, and I easily became immersed in their lives. Regardless of all the times I've desired more fresh ideas in a movie, The Big Bad Swim reminded me that sometimes characters don't require novelty as long as they feel genuine.

A lot of credit for the film's lovability goes to the perfect casting of Brewster and Weixler, a stunning pair who each in her own way portrays the simultaneous sexiness and humility of her character with great consistency. Brewster is that mysteriously hot teacher we all had or at least fantasized about, exposed for her normality and reality. Weixler, on the other hand, refreshingly combines the plain-Jane-ness of actress Sarah Polley with the bombshell beauty of Heather Graham.

As a documentary telling the same story, The Big Bad Swim would have been unbearably dull. As a work of fiction it interests despite its own humdrum ambition, and it surprises with an enjoyable straightforwardness.

AVI SCHWARTZ, DIRECTOR OF UNCLE CHAIM

Director, writer, and cinematographer--Avi Schwartz, was born in Israel in 1964. Raised in New York City, he attended P.S. 24, Kineret Day Middle School, and the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. Receiving his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Political Science from Queens College, he earned the Chaim Perleman Award from Brussels University for his work on Aristotelian and Talmudic Argumentation in 1991. In 1997, he acquired rabbinical ordination from the world renowned Yeshiva.

Within the last three and half years after completing the NYFA 6-week filmmaking workshop, he has produced, written, shot, and directed: "A T.I.M.E," a fundrasier video to bring the plight of infertile couples to the forefront; music videos; commericals; "The Pillow," a comedy set in a hospital; "Tinker Tales," a computer animated piece telling the story of the Tower of Babel; "Why Shai," a children's short. His debut feature, "Uncle Chaim," - a film based on true events - tells the story of a mentally handicapped man, shunned since childhood, especially by his younger brother, Abie (Mark Bellows). Abie can't bear the thought of his outlandish behavior; he's never even revealed Chaim's existence to his own son, Danny (Michael Fricker), or to the congregation of his own ultra-orthodox shul. Come this Sabbath, lives will change. At a crossroads, Abie must choose: let Chaim back into his life, and risk his son's love, or reject Chaim, and suffer the consequences of conscience. "Uncle Chaim" is now playing at the Queens International Film Festival.

Avi's NYFA classmate from the 6-week film program, Adrian Lovell, was the editor for "Uncle Chaim."

MARK BAMFORD, WRITER & DIRECTOR OF CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

The new South Africa is revealed in "Cape of Good Hope," a colorful and vibrant mosaic of love and hope. A profoundly optimistic film, "Cape of Good Hope" is, in the words of writer-director Mark Bamford (alumus, Film '98), "a movie about people just trying to live. It's not about black and white, it's not about politics, but about human beings."

In the tradition of such rich, multi-layered films as Ang Lee's, "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman;" Mira Nair's, "Monsoon Wedding;" and Robert Altman and John Sayles's sociological slice-of-life pictures; "Cape of Good Hope" beautifully interweaves a number of storylines all revolving around a Cape Town animal rescue shelter. The faces of Hope are: Jean Claude (Eriq Ebouaney of Raoul Peck's award-winning film, "Lumumba"), a refugee from war-torn Congo who finds himself torn between love and the promise of asylum in the West; Lindiwe (Nthati Moshesh), a single mother and housekeeper trying to make a life for herself and her son while finding a way out of the township once and for all; Sharifa (Quanita Adams) and Habib (David Isaacs), a young Muslim couple unable to have children of their own yet desperate to have a family; Morne (Morne Visser), a recently widowed vet who wants to believe that true love can strike twice; and Kate (Debbie Brown), the emotionally guarded founder of the animal shelter, who seems to relate better to stray dogs than to people."Cape of Good Hope" is the first feature film written and directed by Mark Bamford—award-winning director of the short film, "Hero"—along with his wife, co-writer and producing partner, Suzanne Kay (daughter of show business legend Diahann Carroll). As recent transplants to South Africa, the couple found inspiration for Cape of Good Hope through their experiences working as volunteers with children and refugees. Filmed entirely on location in the Cape Town coastal community of Hout Bay, and cast solely with African actors, "Cape of Good Hope" substitutes a hard-won, deeply felt sense of humanism for the clichés and political bombast audiences are familiar with from the many films that have beeen set in Africa. See the trailer www.capemovie.com

Austin Film Festival
2004	Won	Audience Award *	Best Narrative Feature - Undistributed
2004	Won	Feature Film Award *	Best Narrative Feature

Image Awards
2006	Nominated	Image Award	Outstanding Independent or Foreign Film

SANTIAGO

Santiago has been spending a great deal of time screenwriting, directing and editing institutional videos for his native country of Colombia.

The following is a link to his favorite production: http://santisan.free.fr

CHARLES CONNORS

Charles Connors has found a very fulfilling career in the independent film world, following his study at the New York Film Academy.To the right is a still from his most recent production: "NYC-The Face of Protest," dealing with the protests that occurred in New York City on August 30, 31, and September 1, of 2004. Pictured is Geoff Blank addressing a crowd in Union Square. The documentary includes scenes of the march up 7th Avenue, a clash of demonstrators and police in Union Square, and also, the American Friends Service Committee's memorial in Union Square.

They had intended to shoot a five day documentary. Instead, destiny decided to embed them for 40 days of filming with the 1st U.S. unit to enter Baghdad. They are witnesses to idealism turned into dread, love colored by fear of mortality, and a range of human suffering in its attempt to survive in the crossfire of war... This is their story.

PETER RAZAI AND AZEM ELEZAJ

From filmmakers Peter Razai and Azem Elezaj, comes "Diamonds Bullets & Fate." It is a tale of betrayal, love, and suspense, starring James Biberi (Analyze That, Find Me Guilty). After Angel (Patrick Solo) botches a robbery, his blunder drags him and his two accomplices, Besnik (James Biberi), and Zef (Peter Razai), into a wild ride rife with betrayal, romance, humor,... and fate.

DIRECTED BY PETER RAZAI
email: peterrazai@illyrianentertainment.com

WRITTEN BY AZEM ELEZAJ

STARRING JAMES BIBERI, PATRICK SOLO, SALLY JAMES, PETER RAZAI

ALEJANDRO CHOMSKI