Arts & Sciences has added director Sacarias Kiusalaas to its London roster. This is the first U.K. representation for Kiusalaas. After a brief stint in film school, Kiusalaas set out to forge his own path. Joining B-Reel’s office in Stockholm, he continued honing his craft first as an intern and then while assisting directors. Emerging as a director in his own right, Sacarias is known for weaving narratives that connect the viewer to the human spirit that lies at the heart of each story. "When Harry Met Santa," Kiusalaas’ 2021 film for The Norwegian Postal Service, garnered both international press coverage and industry awards including the Grand Prix at Norway’s advertising and design industry’s annual all-night award ceremony, Gullblyanten 2021. Bold, spellbinding, and heartwarming, the film gradually reveals the protagonist’s growing attraction to Santa Claus. Year after year, Harry waits for the one evening in which he can enjoy a brief encounter with his beloved. Intimate close-ups capture the magic of attraction between Harry and Santa, which are juxtaposed against the mundane activities that Harry must endure while waiting for his love to return. Poignant and profound, the film also marks the 50 years since a law outlawing same sex relationships was abolished in Norway. Meanwhile, cherished memories capture the tender story of single father and his son in “Together Again” for Cancerfonden (The Swedish Cancer Society). The story unfolds as if we are experiencing each moment alongside father and son, from the young boy’s first day of school to the day when he learns of his father’s cancer diagnosis. Sometimes heart-wrenching, other times deeply life-affirming, the film tenderly reveals how lives are changed forever in the wake of a devastating diagnosis while the unbreakable bond between father and son remains….
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More