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We are proud to make available this powerful, moving piece of cinema from a founding member of the Big Beef Productions film group of yore, Steven Bognar. "Personal Belongings" made it's public debut at the '96 Sundance Film Festival, where it received very positive critical acclaim. The film, which has also appeared nationally on PBS's "P.O.V." series, is many stories in one, moving like a beautiful, haunting piece of music from one measure to the next, telling a very human tale in a universal human language.
"An enormous achievement. The film raises the art of personal documentary to a new level. This filmmaker's first film has moved him into the ranks of the best documentary filmmakers in this country."
"Beautifully written, humorous and moving. First-time director Bognar's delicate and imaginative use of the technical aspects of filmmaking could teach a few lessons to some old-time documentarians."
"A dazzler! Fascinating storytelling, right down to a sobering "twist" ending. I wouldn't miss it!"
"Personal Belongings paints a vivid picture of the challenges of assimilation for immigrants, and the complexities of having two homelands. Steven does more than document his father's journey: with impressionistic flourishes and an impressive array of footage, he explains why the whole Bognar family is haunted by images of Hungary."
"A rare treat! A low-hype, unpretentious, emotionally honest family story about a man's struggle to become himself."
"Extraordinarily effective. Rich, lyrical and moving. At once tragic and inspiring."
at The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival 2 Special Jury Awards at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. and the Sao Paolo International Film Festival. The DREAM CATCHER is the 2nd feature film by Ed Radtke, with production assistance from Steve Bognar. Ed Radtke may be the only filmmaker to go from juvenile felon to Guggenheim fellow. At 18, Radtke was a teenage father, a convicted juvenile felon and a high school graduate with a G.P.A. of 1.9.
Radtke is a graduate with honors of the N.Y.U. Film program, and recipient of major fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Radtke's first feature, BOTTOM LAND, screened at film festivals across the U.S., and was called "Blunt and uncompromising" by the Los Angeles Times. Variety described it as "a no frills, heartfelt drama, delicately handled and deeply moving. Ed Radtke is a filmmaker worth keeping an eye on." The DREAM CATCHER screenplay by Ed Radtke and M.S. Neison was a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab. The producing team includes:
-Steven Bognar (Producer). His last film, "Personal Belongings" debuted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, and screened at over two dozen film festivals worldwide, including San Francisco, Gen Art & South by Southwest.
-Julia Reichert (Producer). Two-time Academy Award nominee for best feature documentary. All five of her feature documentaries have aired on national PBS. Director/Producer of the independent feature "Emma & Elvis."
-Peter Wentworth (Producer). Co-Producer of Whit Stillman's "Metropolitan" and Associate Producer of Tom Kalin's "Swoon." Worked with Victor Nunez on the distribution of "Ruby in Paradise."
-Annetta Marion (Production Coordinator). Associate Producer of four features including Rocky Collins' "Pants on Fire." Founder and Director of the Ohio Independent Film Festival. The film's musical score features a number of recordings by various Dayton area artists, including work done by Big Beef recording artist Gregg Spence (The Mulchmen; Cage; Real Lulu), along with Guided By Voices' Tobin Sprout and Georgiana Gomez, who wrote and performed the wonderful score for Bognar's PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
TRANSPARENT Films, inc., P.O. Box 704, Yellow Springs, OH 45387; #(937) 767-9979 fax #(937) 767-2149 TransparentFilms@aol.com Other Videos Available From Big Beef Productions  Back to the Big Beef Homepage! |