THE MOUNTAIN THIEF- A Story Of Hope
THE MOUNTAIN THIEF- A Story Of Hope
Meet Ren and see his improbable journey for getting surgery for his club-foot deformity. See how our film THE MOUNTAIN THIEF is touching lives, through people who heard about our story. Watch the trailer of this narrative film:
The film is almost finished! Visit our website: http://www.mountainthief.com/
Join us in FACEBOOK:
Join us in our efforts to inspire chage!
‘Zero Bridge’ at LA Film Festival & Karlovy Vary FF
ZERO BRIDGE will have its US Premiere in Official Competition at Film Independent’s Los Angeles Film Festival, June 18-28, 2009. Tickets and passes go on sale May 18, 2009. Read blurbs in LA Times, IndieWire, Variety, SpoutBlog, Thompson on Hollywood, ScreenDaily. Screening times will be posted soon.
And the following week, ZB travels to Czech Republic to be featured in the Another View section at the 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, July 3-11, 2009. Screening times will be posted soon. “The director, with maximum authenticity, shows the real face of the current Kashmir,” the festival announced.
The site has also been updated: there’s some new goodies for your reading/listening pleasure: our new podcast series is up, featuring some Q&A highlights about directing non-actors in Kashmir, some ambient audio excerpts from the film’s soundtrack (and sound library), and another new magazine profile. As we get closer to festival dates, the site will be updated more regularly with fun stuff.
Thanks again for checking back with us! Hope to see you at the next festival.
Thanks and dance moves that ROCK!
Thanks to all the supporter and FANS of THE MOUNTAIN THIEF, our initial goals for the kids was a BIG SUCCESS!
I will discuss in detail later but Richard had his first CT-SCAN after 10 years of living with Hydrocephalous. Initial findings were grim, until in the end, the senior neurosurgeon determined that his hydrocephalous was already arrested and stable. He is going to have a NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL evaluation in a couple of weeks.
And through Nina, our producer, who is currently in MANILA, the MOUNT HOPE PROJECT was able to connect through a hospital with minimal co-pay for Ren’s clubfoot surgery. Pam, a very big part of this project will hold a FUNDRAISER on May 2 and she is confident that we will be able to raise the amount and Ren will have his surgery.
More stories to share, but for now, PLEASE ENJOY THIS VIDEO OF REN singing ABC and dancing.
NEW VIDEO:
ABC and dance moves that ROCK!
JOIN US, OUR CAUSE , BECOME A FAN and PASS IT ON!
JOIN OUR CAUSE IN FACEBOOK:
BECOME A FAN OF THE FILM:
WEBSITE:
http://www.mountainthief.com
Some GREAT Reviews for SORRY, THANKS at 2009 SXSW—they kick ass!
http://www.mountainthief.com/
Just a quick post of links of awesome reviews for my lab fellows Dia, Jen and Lauren’s film, SORRY,THANKS.
CLICK BELOW:
CONGRATS GIRLS! They have a few more screenings at SXSW, check below.
David Lowery’s ST NICK and Amy Dotson’s Sweethert of the Prison Rodeo are also premiering this week.
If you’re in Austin, check the schedule below:
http://sxsw.com/film/screenings/films/
THE MOUNTAIN THIEF and MOUNT HOPE PROJECT updates:
We have just received an ANONYMOUS DONATION and along with the initial donation for THE MOUNT HOPE PROJECT from Pam, we have an amount that will be enough to send money for a check up or evaluation for the two kids! This is great news as we will at least know Richard and Junior Catonjay’s medical condition.
I also got an e- mail last week from a Doctor who intends to come to Manila, sometime next year to do foot surgeries. If that pushes through and if we haven’t gotten any leads yet at that time for assistance to Junior, its good to know that we may have that option.
I’m also launching an AUDIENCE BUILDING and PROMOTION for the film and project this month. Please check back for info or simply SUBSCRIBE to this blog. Also if you are a FACEBOOK MEMBER please become a fan of the film at our FAN PAGE AT FACEBOOK OR at MYSPACE
or FOLLOW US AT TWITTER
DON’T FORGET TO VIEW OUR TRAILER:
OR HERE AT YOU TUBE.
Please post our link to your website or Facebook and MySpace accounts, it goes a long way in promoting the film, the MOUNT HOPE PROJECT and AUDIENCE BUILDING.
See you in our PAGES and hope you join us in OUR NEW CAMPAIGN when we launch it!
More 2008 IFP Lab films will premiere at the 2009 SXSW and APPLY NOW for the 2009 IFP ROUGH CUT LABS.
I was very excited for SORRY, THANKS and ST. NICK last week, but as it turned out there’s a few more films connected to the IFP ROUGH CUT LABS that will premiere at the 2009 SXSW.
As Rose pointed out from the 2008 DOCUMENTARY ROUGH CUT LABS:
MINE: TAKEN BY KATRINA
by Geralyn Pezanoski and Erin Essenmacher
After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of pets were rescued and adopted by families around the country, leading to many custody battles. Through these stories, the film examines issues of race, class and animal welfare in the U.S. (World Premiere)
WEBSITE: minethemovie.com
Amidst stories of murder, hardship, heartache and redemption, the film follows the convict cowgirls of the Eddie Warriors Correctional Center in their preparation for the only rodeo where female prisoners compete rough-stock and as equals against male prison teams. (World Premiere)
Written and Directed by Dia Sokol
Written and Produced by Lauren Veloski
Edited by: Jennifer Lilly
Website: http://www.sorrythanksfilm.com
Disaster looms when Kira (reeling from a brutal break-up) sleeps with Max (who already has a girlfriend) and Max takes up two new pursuits: an obsessive-tending interest in Kira, and the mystery of whether he may in fact be an ass. Cast: Wiley Wiggins, Kenya Miles, Andrew Bujalski, Ia Hernandez (World Premiere)
ST. NICK
Director/Writer: David Lowery
Produced by James Johnston, Adam Donaghey
A stark, haunting portrait of childhood following the adventures of a runaway brother and sister as they try to survive, all on their own, out on the wintry plains of the great southwest. Cast: Tucker Sears, Savanna Sears, Barlow Jacobs, Mara Lee Miller (World Premiere)
Another lab fellow from 2008 IFP lab film ZERO BRIDGE by Tariq Tapa, that premiered in 2008 VENICE, also played at LEEDS and MARRAKECH. It continues to win awards and honors: CHECK THIS OUT:
http://www.zerobridgefilm.com
2 2008 IFP NARRATIVE LAB FILMS premieres at 2009 SXSW!
Some great news just came out from my 2008 IFP Lab Fellows. The film SORRY, THANKS and ST. NICK premieres at the 2009 SXSW FIlm Festival. CONGRATULATIONS!
These are both very good films, I have seen clips and a cut of one of the film, I did had a good sense back then, in the rough cut stage the incredible talent of the filmmakers and potential for both of these films. Very exciting times for Dia, Lauren and Jen of Sorry, Thanks and David, James and Adam. I’m just so proud and very honored to know these guys. There are 11 films in the 2008 Narrative Labs, one, ZERO BRIDGE premiered (see post in this blog) in VENICE! last September and now SORRY, THANKS and ST. NICK at SXSW. That is just an awesome credential for the IFP LABS and looking forward to the premieres of the other films.
SORRY, THANKS
Written and Directed by Dia Sokol
Written and Produced by Lauren Veloski
Edited by: Jennifer Lilly
Website: http://www.sorrythanksfilm.com
Disaster looms when Kira (reeling from a brutal break-up) sleeps with Max (who already has a girlfriend) and Max takes up two new pursuits: an obsessive-tending interest in Kira, and the mystery of whether he may in fact be an ass. Cast: Wiley Wiggins, Kenya Miles, Andrew Bujalski, Ia Hernandez (World Premiere)
ST. NICK
Director/Writer: David Lowery
Produced by James Johnston, Adam Donaghey
A stark, haunting portrait of childhood following the adventures of a runaway brother and sister as they try to survive, all on their own, out on the wintry plains of the great southwest. Cast: Tucker Sears, Savanna Sears, Barlow Jacobs, Mara Lee Miller (World Premiere)
Response to the trailer of THE MOUNTAIN THIEF.
ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN THIEF TRAILER, POSTED LAST WEEK.
About a week ago I posted a new trailer and website at facebook and a couple of blog outlets. THE MOUNTAIN THIEF- A LIFE OF HOPE.
I got some good responses. I also launched a fundraising effort to finish the film and help out the scavenger-actors. Just from the trailer promotion, I got a donation of 150 dollars for the film and a possible fundraising event for the scavengers in the film.
A few more e-mails of support came in and efforts to pass the info along made me feel good. There’s also an organization involved in the environment and waste who wants to talk, let’s see how it goes— I’ll post it here. What I did notice is this DIY promotion seems to be a full time job, i.e. to get traffic in your site. I had statcount and I had about 160 hits since I posted the trailer, but the number went down as the week went on. I feel, I have to post it again to new outlets to get the numbers up again. But 160 is good, I’ve had about 10 hits the past few months when I wasn’t promoting my site. I do intend to do a series of this videos.
A NICHE FOR THE FILM?
It seems like, I found my niche. Let’s see how it goes, I was so focused on the narrative part of the film that I almost did not pay attention to the social aspects of it— Human rights, environment, disability and extreme poverty. Check it out, tell me what you think?
On top of it, it seems like I can make a difference on the lives of the scavengers in my film better—and when that happens, all the sweat from all these years is worth it. As an artist, nothing will be more fulfilling, I think.
LETTER:
This is one of the letter I got from a wonderful woman who saw my trailer. Letters like this helps me keep going. I know a lot of us here knows this overly familiar filmmaking journey. I thought I share to you all how a woman gave me encouragement and some tips last week.
Dear Gerry,
Wow. I am speechless. I went to your website but couldn’t view the trailer there. I had to watch it on YouTube. And it was breath-stopping. What you show in this film is so beyond comprehension to those of us who have never even imagined that people live like that.
I am so glad you are sharing this with the world. Although I don’t have any direct contacts to people in the film industry per se, what I will do is to share the link of your site and the link to the YouTube tralier, with my friends whom I feel will appreciate it. As for getting it out there, I’d suggest just looking for as many film competitions as possible. Also, keep doing as you are doing–post in forums, etc. (Yahoo has forums in all corners of the world.)
Another idea is to find like-minded websites (other websites that bring these kinds of conditions to light; other films; etc.) and ask to link to their website and if they would do the same. The more links you have and the more websites link to YOUR site, the more it will be seen.
Personally, I would love to see the full version of the film when it’s done. You’ve taken on an incredible project.Peace,
E.K.
Quebec, Canada
Happy New Year and NEW TRAILER from THE MOUNTAIN THIEF!
Hello,
Wishing everyone happiness and hope for 2009!
If you have 2 mins, please take a moment to look at this NEW TRAILER for THE MOUNTAIN THIEF. I am launching our new website with new info (blog, news, our new project for the scavenger-actors the Mount Hope Project) and I will be posting a series of video about the film. This one is titled “A LIFE OF HOPE”.
Our website is www.mountainthief.com
Hope to see you there!
Thanks,
Gerry Balasta, The Mountain Thief
Hello from THE MOUNTAIN THIEF!
Hi all!
Its been a good 3 months after the amazing 2008 IFP Film Week, and the film is very close to the finish line. A few things happened to the project since September. A lot of good updates (below), and some the usual and all expected indie filmmaker struggle, mostly on issues of post-prod funds (good luck with the economic environment) and the exciting but seem to be eternal “when and where do I premiere? question”.
What I did find out is, the subject of the film (extreme poverty) is able to hit a nerve on some folks, most are especially touched by the scavengers (residents of the dumpsite town) who acted in the film— based on the responses from the IFP LAB showcase and offers that I get to help the actors. It has always been my intention to touch the actor’s lives in some manner, and along with trying to finish the film, I’m also starting an effort to do so and affect change in their lives. Please visit THE MOUNTAIN THIEF WEBSITE, updates will come in the next few weeks, as I forge ahead with both of these efforts (see below). Here are the updates for THE MOUNTAIN THIEF for those of you who are curious.
1. Article from ADVANCE MAGAZINE was written about the film.
This is a professional magazine for Occupational Therapist (my day job) and through this article, I was able to get a few emails from people who were just touch with the film. One of which is currently helping me in my efforts to raise money for the actors in the film. CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE.
2. A very encouraging BLURB from INDIEWIRE on the clip of the film, last September at the IFP Film Week showcase. 
“Back on the narrative side, even the blatantly dramatic works were assembled as crowd-pleasers. Gerry Balasta’s “The Mountain Thief,” set amid the ongoing insurgency in the Philippines as a father and son flee the surrounding chaos, intentionally highlighted chase sequences and other intense moments. The audience roared in approval”.
3. Original Temporary Music has been scored, and all the film needs now is a decent Sound Mix-Sound Design work and of course studio time for all = $$$! I’m currently exploring outlets for the film when it is completed, and audience building. Because of the subject of the film, there seem to be an option for a niche/ grassroots and non-traditional outlet and also presented to us during the IFP FILM WEEK. I do hope I can tap onto it, this time around, as creative efforts for the film is not as demanding.
This is all for now, I would love to hear from everyone! Hope we can keep this site more active. I just realized how key audience building is, although it was stated a lot of times in the IFP lab workshop. CLICK HERE UPDATES, NEWS AND UPDATES HERE or if you want to JOIN US IN OUR EFFORTS.
