Tampa Bay
Film Society

Industry Movie Night

Story of a diva actress who cannot find her prop for a stage production. In the end, she throws the prop away. It is rescued and given to a family whose child cannot afford the doll. One man’s trash is another’s treasure.

Isolation Restaurant

Director – Nadia Tass

During the depths of the Covid-19 quarantine, you’re cordially invited to Pascale’s Trattoria, a charming Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of a suburban living room. There, you’ll meet Pascale, a slightly deranged gentleman determined to facilitate the success of his restaurant. While his family barely indulge this isolation induced fantasy, the tipping point might be the clientele of stuffed animals.

Director Biography – Nadia Tass

Awarded the Screen Leader Award for Outstanding Leadership, Achievement and Services to the Screen Industry, Nadia Tass is one of Australia’s most iconic directors of both stage and screen.

Well-known internationally for directing films, including the Australian classics Malcolm, The Big Steal, Amy and Matching Jack, she has garnered 68 International awards for her body of screen work, including 28 awards for Amy, Best Film Paris Le Prix du Public, Paris Film Festival Festival du Film de Paris (2000), Best Film Grand Prix Cannes Junior, Cannes Film Festival France (1999), 21 awards for Malcolm, including Best Director from Australian Film Institute (1986).

Nadia has directed films and high-end television for the BBC and in the United States for Universal Studios, Disney, Warner Bros, and CBS, including the ratings hit The Miracle Worker for ABC, and three American Girl movies. She was honoured by the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles with a retrospective of her work, and there have been additional honorary presentations in Cape Town, India, and Moscow.

Nadia’s experience as a theatre director is extensive and diverse, ranging from improvised, classic, contemporary, and musical theatre. Amongst her extensive work in theatre, she has directed the American plays Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, The Other Place by Sharr White for Melbourne Theatre Company, and for Queensland theatre, Annie Baker’s the Flick and The Aliens, an adaptation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya for Red Stitch Theatre, and Masterpieces by Heather McDonald for Signature Theatre in Washington DC. Her latest theatre work was Fern Hill by Michael Tucker in November 2019 in NYC. She also directed commercial musicals Promises, Promises and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which toured Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

Nadia is currently working on a feature documentary in Los Angeles, on The Oleg Vidov Story, a Russian actor who defected from the USSR and found success in America.

Director Statement
Isolating at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was the ultimate shared experience. This film taps into that societal commonality to represent the things people needed to do during such a violent change to everyday life. Of course, the creation of the film itself represents what my family and I needed in order to channel our pent-up creativity and protect our mental wellbeing.

By absolute circumstance, I found myself under the same roof as my husband and my globetrotting son – with him it was the first time in over a decade. Until the last minute I had been directing a film in Los Angeles and only after some firm words from my son, who likewise is usually abroad working, did I return to Australia on one of the last commercial flights. Drawn together, my family brought a story to life that was playing out in different ways around the world.

Isolation Restaurant is one man’s response to this strange new world – where love, dissonance and respect somehow blend into an uneasy harmony.

Co – tenancy

A girl came to live in Beijing and met a boy who shared rent. She thought she had met love, but the result was sad

Director – 李晴霖

1864

Two American soldiers face-off at the battlegrounds of Virginia amongst the Civil War, in 1864.

Director – Fernando Tosetti

Born and raised in Brazil, Fernando grew up with the dream of being a filmmaker. At 18 years old, he moved from the comfort of his home to pursue his dreams in the United States. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2020 and currently works as a video producer as well as a short film writer and director.

For a Living

To save his ill mother, an upcoming politician succumbs to the will of a crime lord. Now he must fight to save his mother… and himself

Director – Bryan Suarez

23 year old Cuban film director and screenwriter.

Surviving Ghosts

A new twist on the old ghost story. Some ghosts we explore others we endure. This film is about surviving ghosts.

Director – Isabella Marcon

Isabella Marcon is currently a senior at Cooper City High School. She is originally from New Orleans, the city of artists, architecture, and Mardi Gras. While studying hard and achieving good grades in her classes, she is also active in Key Club and Cowboy Television (CTV). When I’m not in school she can usually be found writing, using her camera to shoot videos for her school’s television channel, editing, or getting service hours at a charity event sponsored by Key Club. Isabella is passionate about social change and activism. When she is not doing all of those things, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, naps, horror movies, and streaming shows on Netflix.

The McHenry Trial – Don’t Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie

A young and brilliant academic phenom who not only passes the bar exam at age 14 but finds himself defending his homeless father on a murder charge when few believe he is innocent. He faces a shrewd law firm, an old school segregationist judge, and an arrogant prosecutor who is preparing to celebrate his 50th consecutive case win.

Director – Ken Sagoes

Ken Sagoes, born in Stockbridge, Georgia, and raised in Atlanta, is an award-winning writer and actor with film, TV, and stage credits.

He attended Kennesaw State University and studied writing and directing under the UCLA Extension program. Sagoes also studied under two entertainment legends, Edmund J. Cambridge and Marlon Brando.

He’s a former staff writer with Paramount Television, won a CableAce Award and was a HUMANITAS Prize Finalist for writing and co-starring in Disney Channel’s “On Promised Land”.

Sagoes has written fourteen plays and over thirty-five screenplays. As a stage actor, he has received several awards, including a NAACP Theater nomination for Ted Lange’s critically acclaimed play, “George Washington’s Boy”.

In film, he is best known for the role of “Kincaid”, one of the Dream Warriors in the classic horror films, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, 3 & 4, making him the first African-American actor to survive a major horror film and return for a sequel. He’s also known for John Singleton’s “ROSEWOOD” as the loveable “Big Baby” and the role of “Darryl” with Martin Lawrence in the hit series, “What’s Happening Now”.

In 1997, Sagoes founded GBC-Giving Back Corporation, a 501 (c) 3 organization that helps send inner-city youth to summer camp and helps pay for books and supplies for college-bound students. Sagoes has been acknowledged by Governors in Georgia, New York, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, California, North Carolina, over one hundred members of Congress in various states, as well as Dr. Maya Angelou and former President Bill Clinton for his humanitarian work and giving back to the communities across the country. Former Governor Gray Davis of California proclaimed the 25th Day of April 1999 as ‘Ken Sagoes’ Day,’ and received the Los Angeles County of Probation leadership award. GBC also gives an Annual Toast/Roast to honor entertainment pioneers who have paved the way.

The Masque of the Red Death

The text of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” is illustrated by a combination of historical photos and modern ones, drawing a parallel between the COVID-19 pandemic and Poe’s Red Death, and between Poe’s Prince Prospero and President Donald Trump.

Director – Donald E. Tepper

Donald Tepper is a magazine editor and writer. He is also an accredited member (APR) of the Public Relations Society of America and is a real estate investor and agent licensed in Virginia. He has an MA in journalism and is a producer (volunteer) at Fairfax County Public Access, consisting of three television stations and a radio station serving Fairfax County, Virginia.

Cine, Me

I made an experimental short film titled, “CINE, ME.” In this film, I try to combine two things, my birth and the birth of cinema. I spent most of my life time with cinema. My life is strongly related to the cinema so I just tried to mix the story of my life and the history of cinema together. Plus, in my opinion, there are some crucial elements to cinema such as steam power, the sewing machine, the train, and so on which allowed the cinema to be born and grow. This is my thought. Thus, I attempt to show and represent those elements in this film. I believe that a film editor is quite similar to a tailor, in that they sew together 16mm physical film. I hope you enjoy my work and are inspired by it.

Director – JUNSEOK EOM

‘Blackflag’: Busan Independent Film Festival Special Mention by Jury 2007
‘Paul’: Indie Visions Film Festival Best Experimental Film 2019
: Next Up Film Festival nomination as the best Sound Design 2019

VIPER VIRUS History in the Making

A historical event was taking place in South Florida and throughout the world, the Covid 19 Pandemic, the Viper Virus. I wanted to know how people were coping with this virus, what people were thinking and how this was affecting their lives. Because of the virus, Fort Lauderdale closed their beach during spring break. I had to record this historic event and began videotaping in Fort Lauderdale and throughout the area. Thinking this virus would be over soon, I taped as much as I could, deserted streets, closed businesses, it didn’t end. Everything was changing rapidly on a daily basis that affected all of us…masks, quarantine, and social distancing. I was able to get important interviews virtually and continued recording this event through our nations birthday, July 4, 2020. But had the virus ended? It was affecting each person in a different way. It was changing our world. People were concerned and scared. We were now living in a virtual world. What does the future hold? Witness the changes as you watch VIPER VIRUS, History in the Making.

Director – Celeste Locante Thorson

Celeste Locante Thorson has been an award winning Producer & Director for over 30 years.She has produced and created programs for the Public Broadcasting System, PBS, and cable networks.

HEAD CAT « NOT FADE AWAY »
(Animation)

Lemmy Kilmister, Slim Jim, Danny Harvey)

Directed by
Laurent Mercier

Final Moments

“Final Moments” is a 30-second Public Service Announcement about the importance of wearing masks in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

After earning an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Dax Phelan served as the Creative Executive for producer Mace Neufeld (“The Hunt for Red October”) at Sony Pictures where he worked on numerous films, including blockbusters such as “The General’s Daughter,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and “The Equalizer.”

After selling a screenplay of his own, Phelan left Sony to write full-time. He co-created the TV series, “At Your Service,” for producer David Engel (“Straight Outta Compton”) and CBS/Paramount and adapted the New York Times bestseller, “In the Sanctuary of Outcasts,” for producer Stratton Leopold (“Mission: Impossible III”).

Phelan served as Associate Producer on Paul Schrader’s “The Canyons” starring Lindsay Lohan and Executive Producer on Anja Marquardt’s “She’s Lost Control,” which was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards.

In 2015, Phelan wrote, produced, and directed his feature directorial debut, “Jasmine.” Shot in Hong Kong, the film played in 75 film festivals worldwide and won nearly 100 awards, including 18 for Best Picture, 10 for Best Director, and 5 for Best Screenplay. The film was acquired by Lionsgate and released theatrically on June 16, 2017.

On August 16, 2018, Phelan was included in the LA Film Awards’ list of “Thirty Filmmakers to Watch,” a celebration of the “inspiring, creative, and incredibly talented directors who are making indie filmmaking great right now.”

Following “Jasmine,” Phelan co-produced Orson Welles’s final film, “The Other Side of the Wind,” with Frank Marshall (“Jurassic World”). The film had its world premiere at the 75th Venice Film Festival where it opened to strong reviews and was released theatrically by Netflix on November 2, 2018. The National Board of Review honored the film with the prestigious and rarely given William K. Everson Film History Award.

In 2019, Phelan executive produced “Flowers of the Field” with Lodge Kerrigan (“The Girlfriend Experience”) and “About Him & Her: The Inarticulate Speech of the Heart,” both of which will world premiere in 2020.

Phelan is currently preparing to return to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri to direct his sophomore feature film, “Kirkwood,” in fall 2020. Phelan conceived the story with his father, a former City of St. Louis policeman.

Phelan is a proud member of the Producers Guild of America and repped by Danny Passman at Gang, Tyre, Ramer, & Brown.

10 seconds of Silence

Boston Jewel thieves face of with Underworld figures.

Director – Joey R. Marino

Recent Industry Night Guest Speakers

TAMPA BAY FILM SOCIETY Tuesday Industry Night.
Become a Member and join our next meeting
on the 3rd Tuesday of every month.

Nancy Alexander

Nancy is a lifelong broadcaster who literally grew up in Tampa Bay on the air on both Radio and Television making her one of our highest profile media personalities. A masterful entertainer and communicator, Nancy was also the wizard behind the curtain writing, directing, producing and starring in her enormous body of work that entertained audiences with her uniquely irreverant brand of humor. We cheered her on when she tried out for the Live! with Regis co-host job and laughed along with her every radio show and television adventure. Nancy has helped to raise countless dollars as MC of hundreds of fundraisers throughout her career. Currently, you can hear her along with Tampa Bay media veterans BL, Reginald Roundtree and Al Keck on 820 AM from 10-Noon. “We’ll make you laugh, or your money cheerfully refunded!, ” she says with a wink in her voice..

Becca Stallard

Becca earned a bachelor’s degree in English & Communications with a minor in Theatre and Creative Writing at Missouri Western State University in 2001.

In 2016, Becca’s screenplay, “Stranger Step Softly”, was chosen as an Official Selection in the Filmmakers International Screen Writing Awards in Hollywood, California. Later that same year, Becca’s screenplay, “Look at the Stars”, was recognized as a quarterfinalist in the WeScreenplay Feature Screenwriting Contest in Los Angeles, California.

In 2017 Becca won two additional awards for her Screenplay, “The House of Esther Bird”, which was an Official Selection in both the True Story Screenplay Competition and Filmmakers International Screen Writing Awards in Hollywood, California.

Later in 2017 Becca co-wrote the feature-length screenplay, Christmas at the Chateau, which was filmed in 2018 and released on both, Amazon Prime Videos, and Showtime in November of 2019. The success of Christmas at the Chateau brought Becca to the Tampa Bay area where she is now working on her next project. You can see Becca’s works on www.PoeticShores.com

Jalbert Brothers

The Jalbert Brothers started their careers in video production 15 years ago, as kids making home movies in their backyard. Combining their knowledge of filmmaking and experience in video production, Brian and Jake took an amateur love for film and turned it into a career behind the camera. With Brian’s talent for producing and Jake’s passion for cinematography and directing, this filmmaking powerhouse duo is changing the industry from the inside out. Their credits include co – producer and 1st assistant director for the feature film Apple of My Eye– starring Burt Reynolds and Amy Smart– distributed by Sony Pictures, they produced and directed the series pilot called 10 Seconds to Run, and 2 Shows for Amazon Prime Video called Haunted Tours and Share Your Scare.

Kelly Paige

Level Talent Group is led by long-standing industry professional, Kelly Paige. Since 1979 Kelly has brought her ingenuity and fierce devotion to the industry.

Level Talent Group is a full-service SAG franchised talent agency that represents union and non-union models and actors of all ages for Film & TV, Commercial and Print clients.

Having built her foundation in the metropolitan markets of New York, Los Angeles, and Detroit, Kelly has continued to steer the agency in the direction of excellence since its doors opened in 2004.

Kelly is also the Past President of Film Florida and will be discussing the latest updates from Tallahassee.

Doug Fox

Doug Fox, co-owner of The Power Station film studio. The Power Station is located on the corner of Fourth Avenue and 15th Street.and is a 17,000-square-foot installation. Still to be completed is a 12,000-square foot warehouse which will be turned into a soundstage.

Doug was CEO of 5thkind.com (Avengers, Mad Max Fury Road, Star Wars) and also founded localheropost.com (Pitch Perfect, Frankenstein).

Doug began his career producing and directing commercials for Saatchi and Saatchi/Toyota, and Sony Music and Lava Records directing Music Videos for talent in development.
Throughout Doug’s career he has been involved in film finance, packaging and production at every stage.