FILM WORKS
Storytelling through film has been a lifelong passion of mine, as I believe it is a powerful medium for artistic expression. My latest project, Aix-Hale, tells the story of a street performer who is wrongly convicted of a crime and finds himself being chased through the picturesque cobblestone streets of Aix en Provence, France. During the parkour running and jumping scenes, we employed a variety of techniques including the use of drones, GoPros, and a unique device called a Twizgrip. This small car with camera mounts allowed us to capture dynamic shots in narrow spaces. Aix-Hale had its premiere at Le Festival International du Film Black de Montréal, where it received the award for Best Narrative Short film. It also won Best Action Short at the Bloodstained Indie Film Festival in Japan before its French premiere in Paris at the Festival du Court d'Art District. Aix-Hale was selected to represent French cinema at the 2023 Francophone Short Films in Harlem, and all proceeds from the film will be donated to the Maysles Documentary Center, a nonprofit organization in Harlem dedicated to community, education, and documentary film.
During the initial Covid lockdown, a project called "Thanks Nurses (left)" was created to raise funds for the American Nurses Association. This initiative featured renowned actors Noah Wyle, Rita Wilson, Simon Helberg, and Constance Wu, who filmed themselves remotely using mobile devices from their own homes. Despite the challenge of maintaining smooth transitions and ensuring the seamless integration of all the different elements, the project successfully captured the essence of gratitude and support for nurses during the pandemic.
Teleios is a sci-fi film that about a future conflict between genetically modified humans and advanced artificial intelligence. MovieWeb has recognized it as one of the Top 10 films inspired by the original Star Trek series, alongside iconic franchises like Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. The lowest budget among the works on this list, Teleios was released worldwide under various titles, such as "Beyond the Trek" in the US and Japan, "Deep Space" in the UK, and "Teleios: Endlose Angst" in Germany. The word "Teleios" itself means "perfect" in Greek, symbolizing humanity's pursuit of perfection through science. While I personally favor the original title, I understand the rationale behind the distributors' decision to opt for a more explicit sci-fi genre indication. The film premiered at the London Sci-Fi film festival and has garnered numerous international awards. Additionally, it has made appearances at prominent sci-fi/fantasy festivals and conventions like Comi-Con, Other Worlds Austin, Boston SciFi Film Festival, Fantastic Planet and CONvergence.
"Cutting Room" marked my feature film directorial debut and was among the initial films featured on the Netflix streaming platform. The film had its premiere at the Milano International Film Festival, where it garnered two awards. Described as a "serial killer comedy," the movie serves is a dark satire about entertainment industry and the despair it fosters. To capture an authentic and nostalgic feel, I chose to shoot on 35mm. We filmed at the Howard Hughes film studios in Hollywood, a dilapidated building that still housed remnants of the silent film era, including old film cans and an underground railroad in the basement. Later, the film was reedited, incorporating additional footage, and rebranded as "Wide Scream," which is now available on Amazon Prime.
As a result of my expertise in the intersection of cutting-edge technology and film, I have been invited to deliver lectures at prestigious institutions such as Occidental College, Ringling College Art and Design, University of Minnesota, the Global Entrepreneurship Funding Forum, Visual Communications, and Los Angeles Unified Schools.
Among the various short films I've created across different genres, including Dies Irae (action), f8 (psychological drama), Coffee and Sugar (comedy), The Interview (dark comedy), and Salome's Kiss (drama), my favorite is one of my earliest works, Richard Roe. This comedic film revolves around an unremarkable individual who is so forgettable that no one remembers him. Like the tree in the forest analogy - if a person is not remembered, did they exist? Richard Roe marked my initial success as a filmmaker and instilled in me the belief that I could forge a career in this field. Garnering numerous accolades, the film was showcased at festivals such as Palm Springs, Telluride, Seattle, and Sarasota International Film Festivals.