MORE TO LIVE FOR
An inspirational film about life that will be screened in collaboration with local cancer awareness organizations to help grow cancer donor registries. At HATCH you will not only be inspired, but you have the potential to save a life, as a donor testing station will be set up at the Emerson Cultural Center. See the trailer – http://m2l4.nbsworldwide.com/
What if someone could save your life if only they knew how? That scenario is real for the three men featured in More To Live For, a documentary highlighting the importance of bone marrow donation as a means to a possible cure. This is a film a bout life. About strangers reaching across the planet to save lives. It will leave you inspired to live life to its fullest. Seun Adebiyi is a Nigerian-born Olympic hopeful living in the U.S. James Chippendale is founder and CEO of CSI Entertainment Insurance, one of the largest entertainment and sports insurance brokers in the country. You’ve heard Mike Brecker even if you’ve never heard of him. The 15-time Grammy Award winning musician – the greatest saxophonist since John Coltrane has collaborated with James Taylor, Paul Simon, George Benson, Quincy Jones, Steely Dan, Lou Reed, Dire Straits, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Aerosmith, Dan Fogelberg, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny. All three men require bone marrow donation, which, if successful, could essentially mean a cure. The problem is twofold: finding a match for each of the men, and registering/educating the general population to become donors, increasing everyone’s odds. For donors, what used to be a painful process is now as simple as a cotton swab inside the mouth, and if a match is found, it’s about as simple as giving blood. Yet no one seems to know, and the international registries of matches remain sparse. More To Live For educates viewers on exactly how they can help: Step 1. Register. Step 2. Save a Life. What if your life relied on a donor bank? What if it was your best friend? The combined efforts of these three men and their families activated a global community and as a result have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. There’s nothing ordinary about a hero, but for a store clerk or a single mom willing to be a bone marrow donor, the results are extraordinary. The process is as simple as donating blood. You won’t notice what you’ve lost, but what you’ve gained is heroic and forever in saving a life.
Trailer:
ROADTRIP NATION
Wondering how to connect his educational experience to the real world, upon graduation Mike Marriner and two friends hit the road in an old RV to interview leaders across America and learn how they got to where they are today. Some of the leaders who shared their stories with them included the CEO of Starbucks Howard Schultz, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’conner, CEO of Dell Computers Michael Dell, the Scientist who decoded the human genome, and over 70 others. That roadtrip was featured in Forbes Magazine and later turned into the book, Roadtrip Nation (Random House) which was showcased through outlets such as NBC’s Today Show, CBS News, NPR, BBC News, Newsweek, USA TODAY, Outside Magazine, Esquire Magazine and many other outlets across the world. Following the book launch, Mike cofounded Roadtrip Nation to offer other students that same experiential learning opportunity. Today over 100,000 students across the country go through Roadtrip Nation curriculum to help explore possible pathways for their own futures and connect their education to the real world. Video projects from the students experiences are showcased in an annual PBS Documentary Series (Roadtrip Nation) and online at www.roadtripnation.org/studentcommunity. The curriculum has been shown to significantly impact the influencing factors associated with the drop-out crisis (www.roadtripnation.org/ impact), including making students education more relevant, engaging, and connected to the real world. The purpose of RoadtripNation.org is to bring insights and inspiration to students and exposure to life pathways they may never have encountered otherwise.
Trailer:
LIKE CRAZY
Like Crazy is impressive, showing a heartbreaking portrait of young love, embodied by Anton Yelchin as an American college student who falls in love with a English exchange student (Felicity Jones). When Jones outstays her Visa, she is denied access to the U.S., putting a strain on their relationship. In a recent interview with IamRogue, Doremus talked about his “really true and really authentic” approach to the project, an aspect which comes across in the movie’s second trailer. “The project came from trying to make a really personal story that hopefully resonates with audiences as being really true and really authentic. The film is mostly improvised from a fifty-page outline that my co-writer and I wrote. We wanted to just do a story from our generation’s perspective that was really honest. I wanted to make a really classic film. A sort of ‘70s art film in a way is how I started out the project. I wanted to do something that had a more classic feel than sort of the modern conventional filmmaking. So that’s what I was hoping for, sort of do something really unique.”
SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA
Directed by MSU grad Matt Russell – “Seven Days in Utopia”, starring Robert Duvall http://www.sevendaysinutopia.com
Directed by MSU grad Matt Russell, starring Robert Duvall, follows the story of Luke Chisolm (Lucas Black), a talented young golfer set on making the pro tour. When his first big shot turns out to be a very public disaster, Luke escapes the pressures of the game and finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas, home to eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall). But Johnny’s more than meets the eye, and his profound ways of looking at life force Luke to question not only his past choices, but his direction for the future. Based on David L. Cook’s best-selling book Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia, SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA also stars Melissa Leo, Deborah Ann Woll, Brian Geraghty, Jerry Ferrera, Joseph Lyle Taylor, KJ Choi and Kathy Baker. The film is directed by Matthew Dean Russell from a script by Cook, Rob Levine, Russell and Sandra Thrift. The film was produced by Mark G. Mathis (Brick, Precious) and Jason M. Berman (The Dry Land
Trailer:
THE MAIDEN AND THE PRINCESS
Ali Scher - http://www.maidenandprincess.com
Originally from Toronto, Ali began directing and working in theater at a very young age. She has been involved in improv comedy for over 20 years and twice performed as a guest with Boston Improv’s house troupe. Ali met the love of her life, Olivia, 8 years ago at Smith College while studying Theater and Literature. From there she moved to LA and in May graduated from the University of Southern California with an MFA in Film Production with a focus in directing. Ali has always loved children’s films and working with kids. She is currently working on a feature length, modern fairytale called “Red Shoes,” as well as two children’s TV pilots
MENTOR BIOS
Mike Marriner is the CEO, Director and Cofounder of Roadtrip Nation.
Wondering how to connect his educational experience to the real world, upon graduation Mike hit the road with two if his friends in an old, green RV to interview leaders across America and learn how they got to where they are today. Some of the leaders who shared their stories with them included the CEO of Starbucks Howard Schultz, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’conner, CEO of Dell Computers Michael Dell, the Scientist who decoded the human genome, and over 70 others. That roadtrip was featured in Forbes Magazine and later turned into the book, Roadtrip Nation (Random House) which was showcased through outlets such as NBC’s Today Show, CBS News, NPR, BBC News, Newsweek, USA TODAY, Outside Magazine, Esquire Magazine and many other outlets across the world. Following the book launch, Mike cofounded Roadtrip Nation to offer other students that same experiential learning opportunity. Today over 100,000 students across the country go through Roadtrip Nation curriculum to help explore possible pathways for their own futures and connect their education to the real world. Video projects from the students experiences are showcased in an annual PBS Documentary Series (Roadtrip Nation) and online at www.roadtripnation.org/studentcommunity. The curriculum has been shown to significantly impact the influencing factors associated with the drop-out crisis (www.roadtripnation.org/impact), including making students education more relevant, engaging, and connected to the real world. The purpose of RoadtripNation.org is to bring insights and inspiration to students and exposure to life pathways they may never have encountered otherwise.
John Woldenberg, Producer, Activist
John Woldenberg has always been a steward of the arts, particularly in film. Since having studied under screen writing icons, William Goldman and Lawrence Kasdan, he has been hooked on the power of story telling in film. He started as a writer in television and film. Mr. Woldenberg was a partner in a company that went public in 1993. He then spent over a year traveling in Southeast Asia and Africa before coming back to head a television production company. Currently, Mr. Woldenbergʼs film company produces, finances and acquires feature and documentary films. Films include SMART PEOPLE, THE VISITOR, MYSTERIES OFPITTSBURGH AND MILK. Currently, Mr. Woldenberg is producing a docu-comedy with Phil Rosenthal called EXPORTING RAYMOND. Mr. Woldenberg also attempts to integrate social responsibility with filmmaking. In addition to wide release features, documentary films cover topics such as poverty, breast cancer, climate change and ethnic genocide. Over the past 10 years, John has also been involved with The United Nations in their effort to exact global change through media and film. Mr. Woldenberg actively sits on the Boards of a number of national and regional film festivals. Over the past 15 years, Mr. Woldenberg has been a Co-Founder or Partner of a number of Production companies focusing on film and television. He is also active environmental advocate and sits on a variety non-profit boards that champion humanitarian and healthcare missions, including the recent African First Ladies Health Summit, in which the First Ladies from all 54 African nations were invited to Los Angeles to discuss humanitarian issues that plague the entire African continent. Twenty-three First Ladies participated. One aspect of the 3 day event was a demonstration of the power of media, art and film as a vehicle for awareness and change.
Alison Watson, Executive Producer at Four Sisters Productions
Alison Watson is the owner and executive producer at Four Sisters Productions, a company that focuses on telling meaningful stories. Four Sisters works in film, television and brand content and chooses clients that promote healthy, positive culture and community. Watson recently finished filming in China and Tibet for a feature documentary and in 2010, did several projects for Participant Media and their new social action arm, TakePart.
She began her career directing and producing documentary films, which have won recognition and awards across the US. She spent several years getting her hands dirty with outdoor films, television shows and commercials for clients like Thule, Teva, Highgear and Redbull. Watson launched her own company just out of college and has consulted with start ups in fundraising, marketing and producing content for branding as well as growing non-profits into global sustainable organizations.
Her dedication for many years had been to study and create compelling and intuitive visual projects that increase understanding of key issues on our planet through 3D animations, documentary filmmaking and narrative. She helped launch the creative arts festival, HATCH Asheville, which is based in mentorship and was also a founder of the Asheville Film Festival. She holds a Master of Business Administration (Marketing) from Western Carolina University and a Master of Entrepreneurship. Her bachelorʼs degree is in Mass Communications from the University of North Carolina Asheville.
Bita Shafipour, Partner of SoCiArts
Born and raised in Iran, Bita Shafipour graduated from high school in Tehran. She began her film career as assistant to director Tahmineh Milani on her critically and socially acclaimed movie, The Hidden Half. Shortly after working onnthis film, she moved to California with her family and pursued her passion for the arts and cinema in Los Angeles. She received her B.A. in Cinematic Arts from USC, and subsequently got involved in both the business and the creative sides of the industry. She worked at leading production and distribution companies including Lionsgate Entertainment and Paramount Pictures, and she later on worked in international sales and distribution at Fabrication Films International, and attended the American Film Market two years in a row. She made one feature documentary and three short films in Iran and California. Her short narrative entitled “The Color of Friend” starring Homayoon Ershadi (The Kite Runner, 2007) was nominated for best foreign short film at the 5th Miami Short Film Festival. For her postgraduate degree, Bita studied screenwriting at UCLA, and has completed four full-length screenplays. Bita founded Society of Cinema and Arts (SoCiArts) in 2007 with a view to promoting positive social change through the arts and media. Her goal is to intersect world’s cultures in a constructive manner, while raising awareness about the wide range of social and environmental challenges faced by contemporary humanity. Through SoCiArts, she has produced and managed numerous multimedia shows, art exhibitions, and performances on various subjects such as ‘contemporary Iranian arts and culture’, ‘women in the arts’, and ‘freedom of expression’, in partnership with prominent institutions such the Farhang Foundation, LA County Museum of Art, the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Colburn School of Music. In 2008, Bita brought Homay and the Mastan Group, Iran’s most socially conscious musical ensemble, to the United States for the first time and produced a sold out show at Walt Disney Concert Hall. This concert became the highest attended concert at the Hall in summer of 2008 and received a raving review from the Los Angeles Times. Bita is currently working with Karen Fiorito and Santa Monica Art Studios to produce Evolution/Revolution: the Interconnectedness of All Beings, a multimedia exhibition and symposium about animal rights and welfare. In the summer of 2011, SoCiArts, Gaia Films and Creative Visions Foundation are bringing The Holiwater Project to Los Angeles. This multimedia performance and forum explores India’s water crisis through films, live music and a two-day conference on water advocacy. Bita continues developing her own socially conscious film projects through SoCiArts. Her work can be found on www.sociarts.com. She lives and works in Santa Monica, CA.
Courtney Klein, Presidentwww.UnitedNeeds.com
Courtney Klein Johnson is a global Change Agent. Courtney Klein Johnson is an Arizona native and graduate of Arizona State Universityʼs Barrett Honors College where she received her undergraduate and Masterʼs degree in Nonprofit Management. Courtneyʼs entrepreneurial and humanitarian passions manifested at a young age. At the age of 21, after traveling overseas and realizing how little American youth knew about global challenges, Courtney launched New Global Citizens; a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate, empower, and mobilize young people to take action for global change. Courtney guided the organization from conception to international expansion during her tenure as CEO. New Global Citizens now reaches high school students in 20 states across the country, supports grassroots partners in over 30 countries around the world, and is recognized as a Top 10 Program by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy. Prior to joining UnitedNeeds, Courtney led Strategic Planning & Development efforts for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. With a focus on attracting exceptional globally-minded businesses to the Greater Phoenix region from around the world, Courtney served as an advocate and champion for foundational efforts to improve the region. In 2009, Courtney was named “One of 12 Women Who Move the Valley” by Arizona Foothills Magazine. In 2008, Courtney received the first Athena Award for young professionals, and was honored by bizAZ as one of “35 Entrepreneurs under 35”. In 2007 she was named one of “20 Woman to Change Arizona by 2020” by Arizona Woman Magazine and the Arizona Republic. In 2006, Courtney was profiled in the Arizona Republic as one of Arizona’s most intriguing Chief Executives, highlighted as one of the six to watch.
Additionally, she was honored by the Phoenix Business Journal’s Power Book as a “Power Generation Up-andComing Leader.” In 2005, Courtney was honored as a Hon Kachina Honoree and in 2002 was named Woman of the Year by the Diocese of Phoenix. Courtney continues to serve on the Board of Directors for New Global Citizens, speaks nationally about the power of young people and the critical role they play in addressing the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, and serves as a mentor to young leaders across the country.
Jeff Pohlman, Emmy-Winning Producer – CNBC
Emmy-winning Producer Jeff Pohlman has spent the past 20 years telling stories, and the past 13 years producing for NBC News, CNN and CNBC. Jeff has traveled extensively around the world overseeing productions in India, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Central America, Mexico, China, Saudi Arabia and Russia. He has gone undercover numerous times for hidden-camera reports, has produced two White House interviews with President Bush, has interviewed Presidents Clinton and Gorbachev, and dozens of other politicos. He has produced hundreds of breaking news packages and dozens of specials ranging from NASCAR to America’s Cup Sailing to Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the OPEC conference in Vienna to live reports from the World Economic Forum in Davos. Pohlman created “In Profile” at CNBC, anchored by Ron Insana, featuring leaders in entertainment (Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Michael Lynne) business (Warren Buffet, HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and George Soros) fashion (Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang) and music (Ozzy Osbourne, Clive Davis and Russell Simmons). Jeff has written, produced and directed award presentations and marketing reels for Pepsi, Coach, Maxim, Music Choice, and NARSAD. Pohlman has been honored with numerous awards including an Emmy, a 2011 UCLA Gerald Loeb Award, an IRE top honor in Outstanding Investigative Reporting, a 2011 Scripps Howard Foundation finalist award and a SABEW Radio/TV feature first place award – all of those for “Remington Under Fire: A CNBC Investigation.” Jeff has also won three National Headliner Awards, a SAJA award and another Emmy nomination in 2006.
Scott Winant , Two time Emmy Award winning Director/Producer
Two time Emmy Award winning Director/Producer, Scott Winant began his career in partnership with Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz on the critically acclaimed series “thirtysomething.” He produced all five seasons and was responsible for establishing the show’s unique cinematic style of story telling. In the second season Scott received his first Emmy nomination for directing. In the third season he won the Emmy for directing. Over his career Scott has been nominated seven times, most recently for directing on his award winning Showtime series “Huff.” After “thirtysomething,” Scott partnered with Winnie Holzman to create and produce the ground breaking series “My So-Called Life.” This series introduced Claire Danes and went on, after its run on ABC, to become a cult sensation on MTV. Subsequently, Scott has directed and produced a number of successful pilots and series including: “Earth 2″ (Steven Spielberg, NBC), “Significant Others” (Jennifer Garner, FOX),”Cupid” (Jeremy Piven, ABC), “Get Real” (Anne Hathaway, FOX), “Georgetown” (Helen Mirren, CBS), “Hidden Palms” (Kevin Williamson, CW), “Women’s Murder Club” (Angie Harmon, ABC). Recently, he has turned his attention to premium cable, where he Created, Produced and Directed the HBO series “Carnival”, as well as “Dead Like Me” and “Huff” for Showtime. Scott is the Executive Producer/Director for the hit Showtime series “Californication.” And, he has directed the first episode of the Alan Ball series for HBO, “True Blood.” Scott’s feature film credits include: directing “‘Til There Was You” starring Jeanne Tripplehorn and Sarah Jessica Parker for Paramount and producing the independent horror film “The Initiation.” Awards: 2 Emmy Awards, 7 nominations, 2 DGA nominations, 2 TCA Awards, 1 Golden Globe, New York City film festival award – best director, Peabody Award Vision Award – Producer of the Year, Voice Award, Peoples Choice Award.
SUSAN BRECKER - Producer, “More to Live For”
http://is.gd/Bg5TiD
Widow of jazz great Michael Brecker, Susan is a trained psychotherapist. Working in psychiatric hospitals and a private practice for many years, she gave up her work in order to raise their two children. During that time, Susan produced the critically acclaimed play, Housewives on Prozac, which had a sold out, 6-week run at the Schoolhouse in Croton, New York. This led to producing and directing 7 plays at the Hastings-on-Hudson Middle and High Schools. When their children were older, she began to work again as a therapist. Unfortunately, she had to suspend her work when her husband was diagnosed with MDS, a form of leukemia, in 2005. For many patients, the only cure for leukemia is a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor. Because Michael was unable to find a match in the bone marrow donor registry, Susan began a worldwide plea for new donors, and sent an email asking for people to join the registry. Within 24 hours, this email went around the world, and was translated into 6 languages. With the help of Mike’s longtime manager, Darryl Pitt, they held donor drives around the world, most notably at the Red Sea, Monterey and Newport Jazz Festivals. Together, they raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, and were able to test thousands of new donors. In Israel alone, 24 lives have been saved from the Michael Brecker Donor Pool. It was Michael’s brave decision to go public with his illness that facilitated this outpouring of donors, and Susan is honoring her husband’s memory in her dedication to raising awareness about the vital need for bone marrow donors.
ALI SCHER
A child at heart, Ali Scher has always found a way to infuse whimsy and fantasy into her work and life. Originally from Toronto, Ali began directing and acting in theater at a very young age. She went on to receive a degree in Theater and Literature from Smith College, transitioning to film after spending a summer as a research intern for the television show “ER.” She attended USC School of Cinematic Arts, where play is pursued with the utmost dedication and seriousness. Though she thrived in this environment, Ali yearned to find like-minded souls with whom to share her unique vision. They came to her in the form of miniature people, or children, as most call them. Children, Ali found, adored her whimsy and irreverence. Ali realized that she had a chance to shape the minds of people, before they were even people. Ali’s new plan is to take over the world using an army of children, fun, whimsy and, above all, PLAY. Her USC thesis, “The Maiden and The Princess,” a children’s film about tolerance, has already played at over 10 festivals in just two months. Ali is currently writing a feature fairytale about ballet called “Red Shoes,” as well as a teen comedy titled “Erwin.”
MATTHEW RUSSEL
Director, Writer, Producer
Montana State Film Graduate Matt Russell directs his first film, starring Robert Duvall
Since that time, Matt has focused on his writing and directing career and the results have been quite fruitful. Matthew recently completed his first feature film, SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA, an adaptation of David Cooke’s highly successful novel: GOLF’S SACRED JOURNEY; THE LINKS OF UTOPIA. As a first time Director, Matt received much more than he ever could have hoped for when Academy Award winners Robert Duvall and Melissa Leo signed on to the project. The star-studded cast also includes Lucas Black (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, SLING BLADE), Kathy Baker (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, COLD MOUNTAIN), Deborah Ann Woll (TRUE BLOOD, MOTHER’S DAY), Brian Geraghty (THE HURT LOCKER, JARHEAD), and Jerry Ferrara (ENTOURAGE, BROOKLYN RULES). On set, Matt quickly earned the reputation of being a gifted visual storyteller with an uncanny knack for getting the most out of his actors. The film also utilizes world renowned PGA golfers and TV commentators from the Golf Channel. It was important to Matthew in the storytelling process to make the most authentic golf film of all time.
SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA is currently in post‐production and slated to be released in theatres nationwide in September of 2011. In the midst of finishing his first feature film, Matthew has been back and forth to Ireland doing research for writing his next project – which will bring the epic legend of a world icon to the silver screen.
“Ultimately I’ll judge my success not by box office results but by a different number. How many people will my films touch? Before I die, I’d like to meet someone who says, “You know Matt, I used to be racist…” or “ I used to beat my wife,” just before they say “But I saw your film, and it transformed my soul.” Sometimes it’s on a simple scale and people just need a great film to get away from their everyday lives. I know growing up that often times films have been great therapy for me. If I can do that, then I’ll simultaneously quench the thirst of my mission, career and most importantly, my life…”
– Matthew Dean Russell –
Matthew gives direction to Oscar winner Robert Duvall Matthew and Lucas Black share a laugh in between shots
