Very few industries pursue perfection, McIntosh Labs sits in a category of those who don’t hold anything back when it comes to creating products that set the bar in a category. This story of American craftsmanship shares DNA with giants like IBM and Endicott-Johnson, finding its roots in a small upstate NY town where it has remained for almost 75 years.
Many companies are going cheaper, faster, and producing more to keep up with demand, those words aren’t in McIntosh’s vocabulary. Products made to last and that aim to translate sound as accurately as possible come from a place of deep understanding and passion for an art form. Binghamton, NY, has always been home to passionate, hard-working people. It’s the place I call home. I want to connect the people to the place and share a unique and lasting story of what we can make right here in our own backyards. This film is a celebration of the artists and craftspeople of Binghamton, NY.
The Wild Wines of Chile is a high-energy, adventure-driven wine documentary that redefines how audiences connect with the world of wine. Hosted by Jack Kauffman, a CMS Certified Sommelier, WSET Level 3 wine expert, and award-winning filmmaker, the show dives deep into Chile’s breathtaking and extreme wine regions—from the soaring heights of Maipo Valley, the cosmic vineyards of Elqui Valley, to the coastal Casablanca Valley, and the incredible wine and food scenes of Valparaiso and Santiago. The documentary pairs daring escapades—like flying over vineyards and camping in remote terroirs—with intimate stories of the passionate locals behind these extraordinary wines. Visually stunning, culturally rich, and edge-of-your-seat entertaining, The Wild Wines of Chile invites audiences to sip, savor, and explore a world of wine like never before. Perfect for viewers who crave a blend of adventure, education, and heartfelt storytelling, this documentary promises to captivate and inspire a global audience.
Amos Oz, considered during his lifetime to be not only the greatest Israeli writer of his time, but also one of the greatest writers in the world, passed away on December 28th, 2018. I had the immense privilege of having a close friendship, lasting some four decades, with this unique man. The year before he died, Amos agreed that I should make a film about him and I promised it would focus on his greatest passion – writing.
Being born on May 4th, 1939, made Amos one of the early Sabras and a witness to the birth of the State of Israel. Political fanaticism was a concept well-known to Amos from a very young age since he saw it expressed in his own family by his great uncle Joseph Klausner, a “Revisionist Zionist”. Today it is more important than ever to draw attention to Amos’s diverse and prescient body of work given the atrocities wreaked on Israel by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, and the ensuing and on-going war.
His voice of wisdom and sanity is so greatly missed today that the need to turn to his literature for a better understanding of Israel, its people and fanaticism is now an urgent matter. It is worth noting that Shimon Peres, one of the founding fathers of the state of Israel, referred to Amos as “a prophet”.
Throughout his literature, Amos’s clear-sighted and profound reflections on fanaticism and his capacity for empathy teach us to understand “otherness”. He encourages us to question our own humanity.
THE FILM:
Amos was always more interested in finding out about my life and that of my family, and in talking about the history of Israel and current politics, than in discussing his own writing with me. Given that he is, alas, no longer here, my film THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A BOOK is essentially my personal quest to deepen my understanding and appreciation of Amos’s life’s work and share it with the world. Almost all the participants in the film knew Amos well and most of them worked with him on his literature in one capacity or another.
NILY OZ, his wife for some sixty years and the very first person to read his manuscripts; FANIA OZ-SALZBERGER, Professor Emerita of history at the University of Haifa School of Law, Amos’s eldest daughter and co-author with her father of Jews and Words; ROBERT ALTER, Professor Emeritus of Hebrew and comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley, who translated the Bible and published the first biography AMOS OZ, Writer, Activist, Icon in 2023; NICOLAS DE LANGE, Professor of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Wolfson College, Cambridge, translated Amos’s literature for almost 50 years; JEAN MATTERN, Editorial Director at Christian Bourgois Editeur, France, was Amos’s editor at Gallimard for 17 years.
The list also includes other editors and translators; people who adapted Amos’s novels to music, stage and screen; Israeli writers of the younger generation, etc.
I am also greatly honoured that Sir SIMON SCHAMA, renowned historian, has agreed to participate. The participants come from different parts of the globe, different cultures, and each of them has something unique to offer. Together they will contribute to demonstrating the incredible universality of Amos’s work. The wonderful actor, Hugh Bonneville, has very kindly agreed to read selected extracts from Amos’s works. Amos will himself be present in the film thanks to archives of him talking about his books and writing. And thanks to my close relationship with the Oz family, I have access to certain materials never seen before.
I must add that THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A BOOK is also a personal homage, and I will, therefore, be present.
GETTING THE FILM MADE:
Regarding the financing of the film, I have been working for over two years to raise the money for this very important film. I have received personal donations thus far in the amount of $40 000. I am applying for a range of grants, but, as everyone knows, this is a laborious, very lengthy and uncertain process.
I still have a long way to go, but a promise is a promise, and THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A BOOK will see the light of day come hell or highwater!!!
If you should wish to learn more about my project, watch the teaser for the film, the Webinar and Abraham Events presentation, etc. please visit the website below, where you can also sign up to receive my newsletters.
https://www.amosozthefilm.com/
And for those who agree with me that this film is important and timely please press the DONATE button on the website. I will be eternally grateful, as will future generations no doubt!
Filmmakers Collaborative is a 501C3 non-profit organization, therefore all contributions made in the U.S. are tax-deductible.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Katya Chelli
Disarray follows wounded outlaw Jeremiah Wood, a rugged cowboy in a modern city after a heist gone wrong. Seeking refuge in a derelict bar, he confronts his younger brother Otis, who betrayed him to the law in exchange for his own survival. As tensions rise, the brothers engage in a brutal fight over their failed dreams of freedom and their fractured loyalty while the ruthless Sheriff and his forces close in. Faced with Otis’s conflicted conscience and the Sheriff’s ultimatum, Jeremiah makes a desperate final stand, choosing the life of an outlaw over surrender, only to meet his tragic end in a hail of bullets.
Downtown Disarray is a story from my fascination with the timeless struggle between loyalty, betrayal, and the pursuit of freedom. This, paired with families and how far you are willing to go for family, makes for an interesting conflict. In blending the grit of a Western outlaw with the suffocating modern landscape, I wanted to explore what it means to live on your terms in a world that no longer has room for outlaws, literal or metaphorical. This script is about the fading dream of freedom and how it fractures even the most profound bonds between brothers.
Jeremiah and Otis represent two sides of the same coin: one clinging to the romantic ideal of freedom and the other bowing to the reality of survival. Their confrontation is not just a physical struggle but a moral and existential one, forcing them to confront their values and dreams in the shadow of inevitable defeat.
By setting this narrative in a modern city, I wanted to juxtapose the cowboy mythos with a world that’s outgrown it, asking the audience to reflect on whether there’s still space for rebellion, freedom, and unyielding individuality in today’s society. Through gritty dialogue and visceral conflict, Downtown Disarray channels both the nostalgia of Westerns and the harshness of contemporary life, where ideas collide with the inescapable march of time.
For more info, please visit the film’s
Linktree
SYNOPSIS:
For almost twenty years, the Kaw Valley Killer terrorized the cities around the Kansas River. Now, he’s been identified as a landscaper named Nathanael Ambrose, who claims that he only killed people that God, speaking through his flowers, ordered him to. Ambrose has been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death for five murders, though Detective Alana Kimball knows there are many others. The clock is ticking– he will be put to death in five days, and unless Kimball can get him to talk, the secret of how many victims there truly were — and where the remaining bodies might be buried — will remain unknown forever.
When Saarathi, a devout Hindu, arrives from India to settle the affairs of his sister, who is presumed to have been one of Ambrose’s victims, the Kaw Valley Killer makes a surprising offer: he will divulge only to Saarathi the secrets that remain.
Now, for five days, Saarathi will be immersed in a cat-and-mouse conversation with a serial killer. As one by one the full scope of Ambrose’s violent reign of terror is revealed, Saarathi slowly begins to recognize that the truth will be more than he could ever have prepared for, and that Ambrose’s twisted reign of terror might not yet be fully over.
ABOUT:
In this movie, that can best be described as The Silence of the Lambs with a cross-cultural twist, suspense and thrills combine with philosophical/theological explorations of the human soul. The writer/director Vijay M. Rajan, born and raised in multiple countries around the world, seeks to bring a global, contemporary point of view to all of his projects. This film, completely independently funded, is also the brainchild of a team of talented, creative up-and-coming artists — all more than capable of bringing a Hollywood-level edge and sensibility to a lower-budget independent film. The goal is to achieve distribution and share this twist-filled story with as many viewers as possible through theatrical and/or streaming distribution. But we need your help. Only with your support can this project take flight.
Thank you to everyone who makes our dreams possible.
Rewards:
Any person who donates more than $25 will receive a copy of the digital poster when the film is ready to be released.
Any person who donates more than $50 will receive a digital copy of the film when it’s done, plus the above.
Any person who donates more than $100 will receive their name in the credits under “Filmmakers Collaborative Sponsors” plus all of the above.
Thank you for joining us on this journey to protect the Amazon Rainforest and its invaluable wisdom through the power of art. Whether you attended one of our screenings, events, or discovered us online, your support is deeply appreciated.
CURA follows three Amazonian tribes in their sacred role as forest guardians, weaving traditional healing rituals with mind-altering sensory experiences to reveal humanity’s deep connection to the rainforest.
Part documentary, part art, CURA is designed to move audiences emotionally and inspire a reconnection with nature. Beyond a film—it’s a living campaign designed to galvanize people from awareness to action. Every frame, every dollar spent is an invitation to witness, engage, and make a tangible impact in preserving the Amazon’s wisdom and protecting this precious ecosystem. CURA is an invitation to witness, engage, and take action in this critical cause that affects us all.
Thank you for making a tax deductible donation to support our documentary. Every contribution helps bring this vision to life and amplifies its reach. Below, you’ll find our donation tiers, each offering exclusive rewards as a token of our gratitude.
Reward Tiers
$25 – Receive an advance digital copy of the film.
$50 – Includes the above, plus access to our events and ceremony mailing list.
$100 – Includes the above, plus your name in the film credits.
$250 – Includes the above, plus two tickets to the premiere screening closest to your location.
$500 – Includes the above, plus lunch with a producer in NY, LA, or Bogotá.
Donation Credit Tiers
$1,000 – Includes the above, plus a studio visit during production or lunch with our director.
$2,500 – Includes the above, plus a limited-edition digital still
$5k – Includes the above, plus a limited-edition signed portrait.
$10k – Includes the above, plus a Special Thanks
$25k – Includes the above, plus a “Made Possible With” credit in the end credits.
$50k — Includes the above, plus a “Contributing Producer” credit in the end credits.
$100k+ — Includes the above, plus a “Co-executive Producer” credit in the main titles
Please contact us directly at
cure.movie@gmail.com for an additional EP credit or to become a collector of the film.
The Magician is an 18-23 minute narrative that follows “father of public relations,” Edward Bernays and his wife Doris Fleischman as they navigate an evening with America’s elite, on the third and final night of the stock market crash that marks the beginning of the Great Depression. The Bernays’ odyssey of self-preservation is exacerbated as a mob of protestors take to the streets to revolt in face of the greatest economic downturn in American history. The film is a chamber-piece that takes place entirely within the theater during a 15-minute intermission.
The Magician is the thesis project of Emerson College Visual Media Arts MFA candidate, Juan Gracia. The film is informed by Juan’s background in marketing as well as his interest in the history of propaganda, and conversations he has had with members of the Bernays family. Along with producer Tushar Gidwani, who spent the last few years working all over Asia as a producer for VICE and South China Morning Post, and a crew composed of award-winning filmmakers in their own right, Juan hopes to accurately and artistically present a tumultuous evening in 1929.
The Magician tells a story that, on an emotional level, explores the lengths parents will go to for their children and, in a sociological context, offers a glimpse into the origins of psychological manipulation in advertising and media. Edward Bernays pioneered the use of psychoanalytic techniques in advertising, laying the foundation for today’s consumer culture. Despite this, I see Edward Bernays not as a consciously malicious person, but instead as a Pandora, who, unaware of the consequences, opened a box that would affect generations to come, simply because it would ensure the wellbeing of his family. This story depicts the moment that Bernays became both a father to a daughter and the renowned “father of public relations.”
We are currently partnered with the Strand Theater in Dorchester, one of the oldest theaters in Boston, as the principal filming location for the film. We are very proud not only to be supporting this theater, but also to have the opportunity to capture its beauty in cinematic 4K for a wider audience to appreciate. With their partnership and the support of Emerson College, and Rule Camera, we have managed to reduce the amount necessary to make the project, but we are still looking to raise $15,000.
Production costs that would be facilitated by donations include: Additional location rental, set decoration, props, wardrobe & accessories, makeup, craft services, catering, transportation, hard drives, equipment rental, festival submissions, promotional materials, and post production crew (sound mixer, colorist, DCP creation, etc.).
On behalf of Juan, his crew and his cast, we appreciate your help in bringing this project to life. We are grateful for any support you are able to give, and would not be able to create this work without the aid of our community and supporters.
Under the Midnight Sun follows Emily, a troubled young woman whose life is unraveling. Guided by a surreal talking rubber chicken purse named Chickenbag, she confronts her fears and feelings of invisibility. As Chickenbag pushes her to pursue her idealistic dreams, Emily’s rebellious actions lead her down a dark path, culminating in an obsession with stalking and consuming her favorite country singer.
How can Israelis and Palestinians commit to peace amidst so much tragedy? If humanity doesn’t unite, what will? Creating a Better Peace will show how partnering on interconnected challenges and shared goals can create a culture of equality, prosperity and the conditions for peace. Creating a Better Peace looks at successful models of Israeli-Palestinian, cross border alliances bringing economic investment and social progress to a divided land. As they work to overcome the tensions and obstacles of October 7th, Creating a Better Peace asks how can the shared goals and objectives of Palestinians and Israelis be re-aligned? Can neighbors rebuild trust and work together? We’ll be following the different paths to peace through the people working for peaceful solutions that are making a real difference.
The Film
Cotton Fever is a feature-length narrative drama-thriller that follows a mosaic of characters as they struggle with addiction on the streets of Boston during the height of the fentanyl epidemic.
Slated to shoot in September 2024, we are a community-funded project operating on a microbudget. Our team, including many experienced producers and craftspeople, are volunteering their time and resources because we believe in the film creatively and from a social impact perspective. We have been co-signed by the local recovery community, who also believe in the spirit of the film and its power to enact change.
The Filmmaker
Daniel Blake Schwartz is a Boston-based filmmaker whose short films have played festivals in the United States and Europe. His films center around themes of class, social isolation, and addiction, and he has done significant outreach work with organizations like Youth on Fire and Cambridge Addiction Advocacy Group, as well as providing support on the streets of Greater Boston for individuals struggling with addiction and homelessness. Drawing from his own journey through addiction and recovery, Dan has an authentic vision that is based on lived experience.
“As a former addict, I spent a lot of time hearing stories. Stories of what people did to get money. Stories of people getting clean or relapsing. Stories of people robbing each other. I always loved the poetic ones. They were easy to retell and they spread like wildfire through the community. You would hear about people you knew doing unimaginable things, but at the same time, you understood and empathized because as an addict you had done it all before. All of the stories in the piece are inspired by my own life, details of friends and acquaintances, and interviews that I have conducted over the years.” – Dan Schwartz
Dan’s short proof of concept of the same name played at IFF Boston, Palm Beach International Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, Edinburg Short Film Festival, and was awarded the Tarkovski Grant.
Cotton Fever Short Proof of Concept on Vimeo
The Community
In almost every American city, there is a place where we attempt to isolate the dispossessed and addicted. In Boston, blocks from luxury towers downtown, is a neighborhood at the intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue (often referred to as Mass and Cass, Methadone Mile, and Recovery Road). It’s a tent city and open-air drug market, where many of the city’s homeless and addicted population has been pushed. This area, with its own laws and customs, is the beating heart of the Massachusetts opioid epidemic. From the ecstasy of the high, to the shattering low of withdrawal, or the loss of a friend or loved one to an overdose, there is suffering here, but there is also love and hope. Our film will capture the full breadth and humanity of the community of people living and struggling on Mass and Cass, shining a light on an area of the city that has rarely been explored on screen.
Creative Approach
The film will be shot in a gritty vérité style, using natural light and real Boston locations to bring authenticity to the piece. By blending professional actors with emerging talent, Cotton Fever will immerse viewers in the complex world of its characters, offering a filmic experience that is raw, gripping, and real. The film draws on addiction oriented drama-thrillers like Aronofky’s REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and Schatzberg’s THE PANIC IN THE NEEDLE PARK. It also borrows from the naturalistic, intimate, and humane shooting style of Andrea Arnold’s AMERICAN HONEY, the sensitivity and realism of Ramin Habrani’s CHOP SHOP, and the relentlessly propulsive pace of the Safdie Brothers’ GOOD TIME.
Donation
While we’ve raised a portion of our funding, we are seeking additional support to ensure that we can make the film with the integrity and production value it deserves, and so that the film can reach a wider audience and maximize impact.
Any donation, large or small, would be a significant lift to our production.
A donation from you goes towards: feeding and housing our cast and crew, transportation, editing and post production expenses, production gear, music licensing, and production legal.
In return, should you wish to be credited, we will be offering donors a special thanks credit on screen in the film’s end crawl. All donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for considering donating to our film!
Sincerely,
The Cotton Fever Team
