Commercial production studio Picrow (Pictures in a Row) has added Husein Alicajic to its directorial roster, marking his first career stateside representation. He continues to be repped Down Under by Photoplay Films, Australia. With colorful, uplifting work that includes Aussie market campaigns for Skittles, Starburst, Subaru, the Sydney Film Festival, Pepsi, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Alicajic relocated last year from Australia to Los Angeles.
Spotmaking is but one of varied discipline in which Alicajic is active. With a penchant for also writing and directing television and film projects, he recently debuted a project at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and last year won an award Best Direction at the New York Festivals International Television and Film Awards for his efforts with the Sydney Dance Company. Furthermore Alicajic is set to direct a feature he co-wrote, Divine Shadows, with Daria Jovicic producing.
At Picrow, Alicajic joins a lineup of directors which include Picrow founder Peter Lang, DarkFibre, Bryan Barber, Marc Silver, Margaret Malandruccolo, Florian Hoffmeister, Chris Cantwell, and Sean Stiegemeier. Company exec producer is Roger Hunt.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More