In addition to our sponsors, Faculty and Staff of MCNY, and our Committee Members, who have worked tirelessly on coordinating the festival, we would like to recognize and extend our utmost appreciation to the following individuals for their contributions in making the festival a success: Dean Tilokie Depoo
Dean Humphrey Crookendale
Prof. Paula Landry
Prof. Christopher Lanzaro
Prof. Edward Kurpis
Prof. Bernard H. Jackson, III
Yussuf Khan
Eric Torvinen
Sunay Tamashev
Pavel Montov
Miguel Rivas
Mailroom Staff
Mercedes Melendez
Facilities Staff
Security
Beth Dunphy
Isabel Cabrera
Tina Georgiou
Steebo Varghese
The Office of Admissions
The Film Festival Committee would especially like to thank the following individuals for their continuous support: Nygil Fraser
Daniel Simonette
Natasha Alias
Davinder Kaur
Robert E. Holley
Ralph Scott
Raphael Hamzah: is a 37 year old aspiring filmmaker from Malaysia. Soon his passion for filmmaking became apparent and he started making short films and this evolved into teaching filmmaking in the school, drawing on his experience and short courses in editing he took with Apple. He has been toying with the idea for a few years and in 2014, he took the plunge and decided to chase his dreams of being a filmmaker by enrolling in the New York Film Academy where he is currently enrolled as a student in Filmmaking. (10) You Signed A Contract (7:55): A young writer can´t finish the book that will make him famous. So, he decides to find a different solution and will have an unexpected ending
Dominion: Episodes 1&2 by GermĂĄn Jamie Jimenez This paradigm-breaking independent web series that has been view all over the world in over twenty countries. The series focuses on a detective who is hired to find a missing woman, but his new client is hiding more than she is telling and the detective soon finds himself being sucked in to the world of the supernatural.
Industry keynote speaker Jeff Friday is a true “change agent” and among the most innovative entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry today. In creating Film Life, Inc., Friday channeled his passion for cinema and discomfort with the underrepresentation of people of color in the film and television industry into a multifaceted entertainment company, as focused on advocating for diversity as its “bottom line.” While best known for producing groundbreaking events and television like the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and Black Movie Awards (BMA), Friday regularly provides strategic advisory services to a variety of multinational companies in entertainment and media. Friday entered the film business in 1996 when he became president of UniWorld Films, a division of UniWorld Group, Inc. Under his direction, the company founded the Acapulco Black Film Festival and he began to work with studios marketing movies, including DreamWorks’ Amistad, to the African American audience. In 2001, Friday founded Film Life, Inc. One year later he acquired the rights to the Acapulco Black Film Festival, moved it stateside and renamed it the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). With diversity and social responsibility at its core, the festival supports aspiring actors, filmmakers and industry executives in unprecedented ways. Since its inception, the ABFF has showcased more than 800 films, rewarding and redefining artistic excellence in independent filmmaking. Now in its 17th year, it is widely considered the premier international festival for African American and urban content. Friday is the Executive Producer of ABFF Independent, a twohour weekly television program featuring the best feature-length, short and documentary films made by emerging Black artists. Hosted by actor Omari Hardwick, ABFF Independent launched in June 2012 on Magic Johnson’s new cable network, ASPIRE.
(7) How Water Got Her Name Back (8:39): A children's story made for the feature documentary Before The Last Drop, opening 2014, which deals with the conflict between water and energy. Hamilton Pevec: is an Canadian American filmmaker who has written and produced a wide array of short films, music videos and documentaries. He spent two years producing documentaries for the Dalai Lama's Archive in India. He has produced and edited a documentary series in New Zealand, environmental films in Brazil, spiritual and social awareness films in Portugal and Nepal. He has also created conceptual art and written for Korean production companies. (8) Making the Cut(9:59): Actor's put a lot of pressure on themselves to perfect their craft, but what happens when the pressure is put on them to perfect their bodies… Jabari Clarke-Pennegan: is an up and coming filmmaker living in New York City. He is a very hands on director, who also shoots and edits his films working with minimal or no crew. he believes in doing this because he enjoys the sense of craftsmanship he gets from creating the film with his own two hands, much like a carpenter working on his own house or a mechanic working on his own car. (9) Wishful Thinking(5:00): Jasmyn who is engaged to Luke, who takes her for granted and their relationship which is stuck in a rut takes an interesting turn when Jasmyn discovers a magical handbag which 'upgrades' anything that is put inside. Things take a surprising turn when Jasmyn's greed gets the better of her and
(5) Happy Place(6:09): After a fatal and tragic accident, a young boy Sam attempts to bring happiness back to his mother who has been a recluse for the last ten months. Sawan Nair: is a very passionate independent filmmaker who is particularly fond of stories involving human emotion. He studied film at university, and since then has written, produced and directed award winning short films and adverts. His films and adverts have been screened in California, Australia and Italy. He prides himself on being able to make great films with little to no budget. He also believes that true talent and creativity can be expressed with ones resourcefulness, hard work, dedication and passion. Sawan also has directed documentaries and is currently writing a television series. (6) Hogar, Dulce Hogar (Home, Sweet Home)(10:57): Hogar, Dulce Hogar is a story about a woman named Naiara who is struggling to emerge from a slump caused by recent family problems. She is unable to have a normal life and she is locked in her own house as a personal prison, So she decides to leave her medication. At the time she does so, ghosts of her past start to reappear. Carlos Carpallo Pericás: While finishing his studies in journalism, he decided to study a Degree in Film Directing at the film school Ciudad de la Luz. This experience was completed with the short film “Hogar, Dulce Hogar”, selected by the school jury to represent the Ciudad de la Luz in festivals worldwide. Nowadays he has funded Runtun Film Production, a production company with three classmates of his from the school. He is also involved in making some short movies and other related works.
Independent filmmakers panel April 10, 2014
Gary Nadeau is an award winning filmmaker whose work ranges from documentary to narrative formats. He received his BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where his thesis film Red won the Gold Medal at the 1994 Student Academy Awards. His first screenplay Jack (w/James DeMonaco) was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and attracted an all-star cast including Robin Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Diane Lane. Over the next decade, Gary worked as a Hollywood scribe, writing and selling nearly a dozen screenplays. During this period, Gary also directed two telefilms for ABC/ Disney. Over the last five years Nadeau has directed nearly thirty short films for Dwell.com, including video profiles on legendary designers Michael Graves, Chip Kidd, & Jens Risom. He has also directed several music projects for Universal Music Group including music videos for critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright. His short film Pizza Verdi is premiering in film festivals throughout the world and has garnered numerous awards, including winning the MCNY 4th Annual Short Film Festival. In 2014 Gary launched Metrofilmko where he is developing numerous independent projects. He is a current lifetime member of the Writer's Guild of America. Kiara C. Jones is an award winning Writer, Director and Producer, receiving honors for her work from HBO, BET, Lifetime, PBS, AICP and Fox. She is the proprietor of Cultivated Films LLC, a New York based production company dedicated to producing films by under represented storytellers and providing a nurturing environment where Writers and Directors can explore their voices. She was most recently recognized as the US winner of the Bombay Sapphire Imagination Series that will premiere at Tribeca International Film Festival in 2014 and received the CICAE Award at the Berlinale for Director Anja Marquardts feature, She’s Lost Control. The daughter of a Bronx, Brooklyn love story, Kiara began her creative career as a poet and hip hop artist. She transformed her love for storytelling into an award winning career in broadcast radio and television.
Kiara is happy to return to her roots in New York and plant herself in the fertile soil of New York University’s Graduate Film program where she is embracing her next evolution as a filmmaker. Andrew Fitzgerald was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He loved making movies as a kid and continued his passion at Ithaca College where he graduated with a degree in Cinema Production. It was there he learned about creative storytelling, shooting techniques and editing. In 2005 he moved to New York City where he began making short films and working as a freelance producer, cinematographer and editor on various television shows including LA Ink, Storm Chasers, The Rachel Zoe Project and King of Dirt. He opened New Dawn Films, his production company in 2009 and his first feature film Work It Out won Best Narrative Feature in 2010 at the Astoria International Film Festival and Best Feature Film at The Appalachian Film Festival in 2011. Andrew produced, directed and edited the movie. His company creates online branded content and commercials for companies that include Mitsubishi, Revlon, Timberland and American Media magazines. Paula Landry, MBA, is an author, film producer, and veritable blizzard of ideas. As a media consultant, Ms. Landry creates business plans, marketing & activation plans for a wide variety of corporate and individual clients. She teaches business and media classes at NYU, SVA and Metropolitan College of New York in New York City. She is the author of Scheduling and Budgeting Your Film, A Panic Free Guide, (Focal Press, 2012), co-author of This Business of FILM, with Stephen Greenwald (Random House, 2009) and co -author of Sell Your Screenplay in 30 Days, With New Media, with Marilyn Horowitz. She has created video and commercial projects for major media companies, Fortune 500 companies and non-profit clients. Recent projects include: filmed book trailers, award winning app DAVID AND GOLIATH, app teasers, Vook sample chapters, corporate branding for Panasonic, KPMG, Finger Lakes College, and numerous political campaigns. She has appeared as a guest on CBS Sunday Morning television show, Bloomberg radio, and WNYC On The Media. Contact her at Paula@PaulaLandry.com or 917/930-0649.
Yusuf Al-Rahman: Yusuf began writing films during his part-time job out of undergrad during lunch in 2002. He has always had a love for film and knew that it was his passion. After much searching he found a home with Sacred Heart University's FTMA film & television directing program in 2013. He has worked on his fellow cohort's short films such as AD/DP/2nd Unit Director/etc. He aspires to work in the genre of dramatic action and intends on directing his feature length film female genital mutilation (FGM). He’s comment is: “When you can do what you truly love it is not work.” (4) Five Cents Per Bottle(5:00): is the story of two men, one everyday guy and a homeless man who coincidentally met at the train station in the City of New York. This young man assumes this man is trying to harm him, and fails to realize something very important. Teaching him a lesson that he will never forget. Israel Kelvin Sánchez: was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic who is a cinematography and art student at Kean University. Israel won different honorable mentions such as: best acting, best scenography, promotion and many more in the Fourth Scholar Theater Festival in the city of Santiago, Dominican Republic. In early 2014 Israel took his first steps as cinematographer with the short film “Cinco Centavos por Botella” (Five Cents per Bottle) where he worked as one of the producer, director, actor, editor, and screenplay writer. As today at the early age of 19, he is currently a teaching artist of theater and film class at “Gregorion Luperon” High School in New
(1) The Caddywhompus Years(12:13): The Caddywhompus Years is a story of two young girls, Melody and Chase, who are two young beautiful dancers in the city, dealing with the fact that they are broke, starving and absolutely terrified. Adam Bertocci: is an award-winning writer and filmmaker working in and around New York. He has created over a dozen short films for the festival circuit and written a few more (most notably the comedy "Wreck the Halls" starring Mickey Rooney). He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed mash up "Two Gentlemen of Lebowski", which became the fastestselling play in New York indie theatre history and is now a beautiful book from Simon & Schuster. (2) Egress (18:20): Egress is the story of a homeless man forced to evolve from his past to transcend the painful sacrifice of the present so he can bravely grasp the opportunity to create his future. Germรกn Jamie Jimenez: is an independent producer who resides in New York. Germรกn, who is an alumni of the MCNY Media Management MBA Program, is an executive produced for a web series and associate producer for a short film. Starting with the paradigmbreaking independent web series that has been view all over the world in over twenty countries. The series focuses on a detective who is hired to find a missing woman, but his new client is hiding more than she is telling and the detective soon finds himself being sucked in to the world of the supernatural.
Social Cinema congratulates the MCNY School for Business Media Management Program and Students for their exemplary work on the 5th Annual Short Film Festival
Social Cinema is a company dedicated to producing and promoting films that speak to a social issue. wwww.socialcinemaproject.com
Grave Shift Studios congratulates the MCNY School for Business Media Management Program and Students for their exemplary work on the 5th Annual Short Film Festival.
Specializing in video production; Grave Shift Studios is the fullservice production company you need for your next media project. www.GraveShiftStudios.com
Bernie’s diverse experience in the entertainment and media industries encompasses new media, music, film, television, branded entertainment, book publishing and live performances. He has previously lent his legal and business expertise as a partner of JDW Entertainment, Inc., a music production company that had a record distribution arrangement with RCA Records and was one of the executives of the management team for several recording artists signed to major labels including multi-platinum recording artist Mary J. Blige
Three African American men chronicle their battle with depression as well as their struggle to overcome it and not be overtaken by it. Face of Darkness is character driven and it wraps itself around the stigma surrounding depression amongst black men ... identifying it, surviving it and the journey to healing.
Marc Henry Johnson is currently in development as a writer-producer on the dramatic series TIMES SQUARE, David Simon and George Pelecanos are the showrunners. Mr. Johnson’s latest production NIGHTDRIVER had its World Premiere at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival in September 2013. The film is the first narrative by hip-hop video director and DJ Fritz Celestin. Mr. Johnson was an Executive Producer for the concert film/ documentary entitled SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION, with music by The Roots, Jos Stone, Wyclef Jean, Richie Havens, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Mary Mary, and John Legend. Other Executive Producers included Danny Glover. This film was an Audience Favorite at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, an Official Selection for the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival, and was short-listed for an Oscar for Best Feature Documentary. In addition, Mr. Johnson was a Co-Producer on BROTHER TO BROTHER, which won the Dramatic Special Jury Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. It also was nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards and three Gotham Awards. In 2004, Mr. Johnson was the Producer for the Sundance ChannelCourt TV co-production, THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROJECT: POETIC LICENSE, directed by Mario Van Peebles. He was Executive Producer of the American Public Television series COLORVISION, which showcased Asian-American, African-American, Latino, Pacific Islander, and Native American short films. Daisy Fuentes is the series host. Lisa Ling, Marc Anthony Thompson (a.k.a. Chocolate Genius), Dan Ho, and Kate Rigg are field correspondents.
The film's objective is to raise awareness of depression in African American males, the detriment of not addressing it, as well as the benefits of treatment. We hope that by exposing the illness in an artistic fashion, the African American community will not only be enlightened, but they will learn how to recognize and seek help for themselves or loved ones. Trailer: http://youtu.be/6F1e2SO1TZk
...The FADER is an independent Manhattan-based magazine that the New York Times dubbed "the new music-and-fashion bible". Chris has also been an adjunct instructor at MCNY in the MBA programs for 15 years, starting in 1999. Edward B. Kurpis is a 14-year veteran of NBC in New York, and is credited with being the co-founder/ co-developer of CNBC, the premiere world-wide television business network today. Kurpis served as VP for NBC’s Business Development division where his strategic and management expertise directly led NBC’s growth from a traditional broadcast television company into a dynamic, fully integrated global media entity. Among his noteworthy media accomplishments, Kurpis developed the original business plans for the launch of CNBC and ultimately served as its Divisional CFO. He is also considered chief strategic financial architect in the creation and launch of MSNBC, and led the development of the publicly traded digital media company NBC Internet. He was also named CFO for a number of prominent new media ventures, including for the 1992 Summer Olympics (Barcelona). Kurpis holds an MBA and dual Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Michigan and a terminal MFA degree in Professional Writing from Connecticut State University. He has taught at Fordham University, the CUNY and was the founding Media Management faculty at MCNY. Kurpis is also a concert bassoonist and performs regularly with the Island Symphony Orchestra in Long Island, NY. Bernard H Jackson, III is working toward combining his twenty years of legal experience with the filmmaking skills he acquired as a graduate of Boston University’s Broadcasting and Film Department to develop and produce various entertainment content. He was formerly counsel in the NY office of Dewey & LeBoeuf's Entertainment and Media Group where he worked with many celebrity and corporate clients often performing additional tasks outside his legal role such as, album/music video/television and motion picture production budgeting, production co-ordination, talent procurement as well as drafting and editing television/film treatments and scripts. .
Stephen R. Greenwald is a New York-based film executive, financier, producer and attorney. During his varied career in the movie business Mr. Greenwald has run production and distribution companies; consulted for Sony Pictures, Bank of America and Credit Lyonnais Bank; and raised financing in the U.S. and abroad for film production. Some of the films Mr. Greenwald has been associated with include: Dune, Conan the Barbarian, Blue Velvet, Crimes of the Heart, Manhunter, and Author, Author. Stephen is a recognized expert on the valuation and sale of film libraries and international film distribution. He has been Chief Executive Officer of Odyssey Pictures Corporation, a partner in Presto Productions LLP, a film development and production company, and served as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of the Delaurentiis Entertainment Group. Currently Stephen is Managing Director of G & H Media LLC , and Of Counsel to the law firm of Garson, Segal ,Steinmetz and Fladgate in New York. He is the co-author of This Business of Film, published by a division of Random House in February, 2009. Chris Lanzaro is a seasoned media executive with over 25 years of experience. With a Bachelor's in Accounting and an MBA in Exec Mgmt/HR, Chris did tenures at Ernst & Young, one of the world's largest and most prestigious Auditing and Consulting firms, and Standard & Poor's, one of Wall Street's most prestigious firms. He has served as a finance executive in public and private media companies, and is currently the Chief Financial Officer at the Cornerstone Agency and The FADER, Inc. Cornerstone is a New York-based creative lifestyle marketing and public relations agency with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and London‌