Bicoastal woman-owned edit house The Den has brought Tania Mesta aboard its editors’ roster.
Mesta was born and raised in El Paso, Texas to Mexican parents making her “both figuratively and literally from the border,” in Mesta’s words. The duality that comes from fully embracing both Mexican and American culture has greatly inspired Mesta’s world view as well as her work. Observing the world around her, blending differing points of view and alchemizing them into a snapshot of the human experience is second nature to Mesta and has proven to be a signature quality of her work.
Mesta’s path to editing began in college, where she majored in film and TV–––and minored in Business and French, a language she speaks fluently. Eventually, Mesta began her editing career at Rock Paper Scissors, then as editor at Lost Planet. Mesta has worked with brands including Calvin Klein, Prada, Kraft, and Instagram.
“What sets Tania apart is her artistic eye and fresh editing style that complements the brands she works with,” said Christjan Jordan, co-founder and editor at The Den. “Her work is complex and visually stunning of course, but her ability to hone in on what emotion is being evoked for the viewer is outstanding.”
“What I like about the medium of film is it can inspire empathy and really immerse you in someone else’s story. If done correctly, a story can build bridges and understanding for the people around us,” said Mesta. Rachel Seitel, co-founder of The Den, added, “Tania joining The Den feels like fate. Not only is she an incredibly talented, driven, and dedicated editor, she is also the perfect person to help us establish and grow The Den’s NYC presence.”
The Den has expanded notably in recent months, adding Vic Palumbo as president and managing director. Mesta joins a talent roster at The Den which includes Jordan, Tobias Suhm, Katie Cali, Michael “Middy” Ofori-Attah, Matthew Hilber, Kate Owen, Andrew Ratzlaff, Nate Cali, and Val Thrasher.
Review: Malcolm Washington Makes His Feature Directing Debut With “The Piano Lesson”
An heirloom piano takes on immense significance for one family in 1936 Pittsburgh in August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson." Generational ties also permeate the film adaptation, in which Malcolm Washington follows in his father Denzel Washington's footsteps in helping to bring the entirety of The Pittsburgh Cycle — a series of 10 plays — to the screen.
Malcolm Washington did not start from scratch in his accomplished feature filmmaking debut. He enlisted much of the cast from the recent Broadway revival with Samuel L. Jackson (Doaker Charles), his brother, John David Washington (Boy Willie), Ray Fisher (Lymon) and Michael Potts (Whining Boy). Berniece, played by Danielle Brooks in the play, is now beautifully portrayed by Danielle Deadwyler. With such rich material and a cast for whom it's second nature, it would be hard, one imagines, to go wrong. Jackson's own history with the play goes back to its original run in 1987 when he was Boy Willie.
It's not the simplest thing to make a play feel cinematic, but Malcolm Washington was up to the task. His film opens up the world of the Charles family beyond the living room. In fact, this adaptation, which Washington co-wrote with "Mudbound" screenwriter Virgil Williams, goes beyond Wilson's text and shows us the past and the origins of the intricately engraved piano that's central to all the fuss. It even opens on a big, action-filled set piece in 1911, during which the piano is stolen from a white family's home. Another fleshes out Doaker's monologue in which he explains to the uninitiated, Fisher's Lymon, and the audience, the tortured history of the thing. While it might have been nice to keep the camera on Jackson, such a great, grounding presence throughout, the good news is that he really makes... Read More