Ten Dollars Reward is a narrative film set in the Hudson Valley of 1790, shortly after the American Revolution. It is a time and place of enormous vitality and diversity, yet one in which slavery remains legal in New York State.
Our film’s core characters reflect this vibrant milieu: an escaped, enslaved Black man who fought for the British; an ex-British officer; a Hessian mercenary; a half Mohawk/half English, fifteen-year old boy; and a Dutch patroon with a gambling problem.
A life-and-death chase brings these characters together in a haunted woodland — populated by dangerous, enigmatic characters — and delivers them to a mysterious tavern. There, All Hallow’s Eve festivities are in full swing and involve them in a series of disquieting and eccentric episodes with the denizens of the inn.
What happens next unsettles the characters’ reality and reframes their relationships, ultimately re-directing each onto a new path.
Ten Dollars Reward is a comprehensively researched, high-octane, surreal collision of American dreams and nightmares. The film explores the roots of the American experience — both its history and myth — revealing a post-Colonial era that presents a distant mirror to our country’s current state.
WHY WE’RE RAISING MONEY
Ten Dollars Reward is seeking support to assist with essential development costs: casting, budgeting, legal and accounting expenses.
Having secured the services of casting director Destiny Lilly (The Color Purple, Only Murders in the Building, current president of the CSA) gives us extraordinary access to top talent. We believe this access — coupled with the quality and originality of the script and the dazzling visual portfolio of our director, Edmund Milligan Marcus — will enable us to assemble a first-rate cast that will appeal to audiences and financiers alike.
WHO WE ARE
Edmund Milligan Marcus: Director/Co-Writer/Producer
Lisa Milligan: Producer
Donald Marcus: Co-Writer/Producer
OUR COLLABORATORS
Destiny Lilly: Casting Director
Kelly Ryan: Co-Producer/Sales Agent
Elizabeth Margid: Co-Producer/Creative Consultant
Parker Tolifson: Cinematographer
Erika Hampson: Line Producer
Lena Borovçi: Costume Designer & Design Consultant
Heather Merrill: Archival Producer
John C. Lathrop: Finance Consultant
Cadence Effects: Visual Effects
OUR REPRESENTATION
Edward Klaris & Louise Carron
Klaris Law
161 Water Street
Suite 904
New York, NY 10038
(646) 779-4882
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
DONALD MARCUS
+1 (774)-392-2640,
masgorgone@aol.com
Unraveling centuries of greed and exploitation in America’s meat industry, this modern-day take on Upton Sinclair’s shocking 1906 novel calls into question the profiteering of ecosystems and reveals how indigenous knowledge may hold the key to creating an equitable food system for both people and the planet.
Michigan’s No-Fault auto insurance law was designed to ensure drivers received comprehensive coverage for medical and rehabilitation expenses, regardless of fault. However, Michigan has some of the highest insurance rates, with fees varying based on race, geography, and credit scores.
In 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s reform aimed to reduce insurance costs but resulted in a 45% cut to caregiver reimbursements, forcing many out of business. Nearly 20,000 catastrophic injury survivors have been denied coverage despite paying into the system for years.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) holds $28 billion in taxpayer money paid into by all Michiganders for these survivors, but access to these funds is blocked. Backed by the Insurance Alliance of Michigan (IAM), insurance companies prioritize profit, funneling donations to politicians to protect their interests.
This story exposes the greed, political power, and self-interest driving the system.
The New Tibet is a Chilean documentary about the movement of the Earth’s energy center from the Himalayas to the Chilean desert.
When reviewing the sacred knowledge of ancient civilizations, we find that, in almost all of them, there is talk of marked periods that divide time into eras of approximately 13,000 thousand years. Each of these eras concludes with the alignment of the equinoxes: which, as we know today, are nothing more than the movements of the axis of our planet.
The beginning of a new era began precisely in 2012, in which it is thought that Kundalini energy, which was previously found in Tibet, has moved from the Himalayas to the Andes Mountains, settling mainly in the Chilean desert.
This is a cultural project, which offers a scientific view based on seismic movements in the Pacific Ring of Fire; but it also presents images and testimonies of communities surrounding the Chilean desert; who recognize that they have experienced a process of energy transformation.
Our project takes a route of the history of Tibet as a spiritual center of humanity and the hypothesis of the displacement of its energy to the Chilean desert.
“The New Tibet” is a documentary that invites us to reflect on our beliefs, the concept we have of spirituality and how it impacts our worldview and consciousness.
Vea Williams and Lloyd McDaniel, a Jamaican couple in their late thirties, work on a farm in upstate New York while grappling with infertility. Both believe Vea is the cause of their struggles. Thanks to the farm owners whose daughter works at a clinic, they gain access to a fertility consultation in Manhattan. It’s an opportunity they otherwise couldn’t afford. The visit is a mix of relief and heartache: relief at receiving a diagnosis and the possibility of intervention, but also a blow to Lloyd’s pride when they learn his low sperm count is the root of their difficulties. The doctor’s reassurances open up the possibility of a different future than they had imagined when they arrived, leaving Vea and Lloyd to silently reflect on what lies ahead. Back on the farm, as the sun sets, Vea allows herself a brief moment of vulnerability and rest in the quiet orchard, finding a small, hard-won peace amid her emotional turmoil.
Last year, when I turned 35, I found myself grappling more seriously with questions about motherhood—questions that had always lingered in the background. At the same time, attacks on various forms of assisted reproductive care, a previously untouchable aspect of healthcare in the U.S., became widespread. This forced me to confront the particularly fraught situation that Black women like myself face. If we desire to become mothers, the avenues available to us are increasingly limited as we navigate the systemic racism embedded within healthcare.
My interest lies in stories concerned with the extraordinary aspects of ordinary Black life. With my thesis film, The Harvest, I explore the emotional and financial strain that infertility can have on a couple desperate to have a child that is biologically their own.
I aim for a restrained visual style, inspired by Yasujirō Ozu, where each frame is treated like a painting. I will use silence and natural sounds to enhance emotional subtlety, employing music sparingly. The settings—both the farm and NYC—are integral to the narrative, reflecting my protagonist’s personal transformation.
Film has the power to shine a light on a subject, telling the viewer, “This is important. Pay attention.” Through its specificity, The Harvest speaks to a broader audience of women (and those who love them) who struggle under the weight of pursuing motherhood. It says, “I see you.”
Searching for Padre Martínez is a feature-length documentary that follows the journey of filmmaker Paul Espinosa as he seeks to rediscover the dramatic story of the New Mexican priest, educator and political activist, Antonio José Martínez. Espinosa grew up in New Mexico but never heard anything about Martínez. Like many Latino historical figures, he was erased from the history books. Espinosa first learned about Padre Martínez when he produced a four-hour series for PBS on the 1846 war between Mexico and the United States.
During Martínez’s lifetime, his native New Mexico ceased to belong to Spain, became part of Mexico, and then was conquered by the United States. Espinosa’s ancestors were Martínez’s contemporaries, and like Martínez, they didn’t cross the border, the border crossed them. Despite never leaving home, they had to negotiate dramatic cultural changes after the U.S. conquest.
Once he stumbled across him, Espinosa realized that Martínez’s struggles paralleled many contemporary issues and raised provocative questions. The film’s narrative arc follows Espinosa’s contemporary journey to uncover connections between his ancestors and Padre Martínez, reflecting on Martínez’s leadership in planting the seeds of democracy at a time when everyone was used to living in an autocracy and obeying a monarch.
The story will be told with a variety of elements including: an engaging narrative of Espinosa’s journey through northern New Mexico, impressionistic animation of key historical scenes, informed interviews with articulate scholars, the creative presentation of the words of Martínez and his contemporaries, a wealth of colorful archival images, and attractive scenes of contemporary New Mexican landscapes.
In mid-19 th century Taos, New Mexico, Martínez faced the challenge of bringing different groups together- cultural, ethnic, religious, political – against a backdrop of bloody insurrections. His efforts provide a model of creative leadership for a fragile, emerging democracy. Martínez understood that for a democratic republic to survive and thrive, an educated and involved community is indispensable.
Martínez was a fierce advocate for education, bringing the first printing press to the West where he published books for his co-educational, primary school and created the region’s first newspaper – El Crepúsculo de la Libertad (The Dawning of Liberty). Through publishing books – and not banning them – Martínez was committed to the aspirational ideals of critical thinking, religious tolerance and human rights, all aimed at pursuing a more perfect union in a fledgling democracy.
Martínez’s life raises intriguing questions. How did he plant the seeds of democracy in the remote American Southwest when autocrats and monarchs claimed absolute power? How did an activist priest like Martínez navigate turbulent times and strike a balance between religion and politics – a busy and volatile intersection that fuels vigorous public debate today? Why did his farsighted ideas about representative democracy, faith and liberal education disappear from the official story?
Today, some believe we might be in the last days of democracy, as we witness vicious assaults on our democratic institutions, amid heightened partisanship and increasing political violence. It’s a timely moment to revisit the troubling times of the 19 th century when democracy was first emerging in the Southwest. The story of Padre Martinez provides a surprising view of the birth of our democracy from the site of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
Award-winning filmmaker and New Mexico native son, Paul Espinosa , will produce and direct Searching for Padre Martínez. For over 40 years, he has produced, directed, and written numerous PBS films, winning eight Emmys and Best of Festival awards around the world. Paul’s films capture the transformative energy of the men and women of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Paul holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and a B.A. from Brown University. He is Professor Emeritus in the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University.
BY ALL YOUR MEMORIES, an abolitionist collage feature film, explores (1) histories of Irish and Palestinian solidarity, (2) the politics of early Irish immigrants in America regarding the abolition of slavery, and (3) the assassination of Robert Kennedy and subsequent incarceration of Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan. Using collage filmmaking strategies, oscillating between super 8mm film, found footage, and handcrafted experimental animation, Kelly Gallagher asks her audience to engage with competing historical narratives. As an anti-capitalist and prison abolitionist who grew up in an Irish-American Catholic household, stories of Irish resistance have always surrounded Gallagher. When she recently learned about RFK’s assassination and Sirhan’s conviction, she was motivated to examine the historical relationship between Palestine and Ireland and the complexities of their legacies of solidarity. Gallagher’s film asks: what can transnational solidarity look like? How did so many Irish forget their leftist, anti-colonial radical roots and politics as soon as they came over to America? Why is Sirhan still imprisoned? What could the abolition of prisons make space for in a new world? And finally what can we learn today from the powerful renewed international organizing for a free Palestine?
“Soul Radio” tells the little-known story of a broadcast revolution that took place on the radio dial in the years after World War II, when pioneering African American announcers hit the airwaves.
This feature-length documentary film chronicles the rise of Black radio at WERD in Atlanta, the nation’s first African American-owned station, and WDIA in Memphis, Tennessee, the first station with an all Black on-air staff. We meet early trailblazers like Jack L. Cooper, widely considered the father of Black radio, who got behind a microphone in the 1930s – a racially segregated time when popular programs like “Amos and Andy” promoted ugly stereotypes, and few, if any, Black voices were heard.
Featuring soulful music, archival broadcasts, and the triumphant tales of charismatic disc jockeys “Chatty Hatty” Leeper, Vernon Winslow (“Dr. Daddy-O”) and “Jockey Jack” Gibson, “Soul Radio” explores the power of Black radio to heighten racial pride and bolster the struggle for Civil Rights in the 1960s and beyond.
Fighting against scientific indifference, legislative gridlock, and the human cost of profit-driven markets, ten courageous individuals who struggle daily with rare diseases that have no known cure take action—harnessing the power of community, transcending adversity, and forging a new path forward for themselves and millions of others. “Rare” is a timely documentary that urgently addresses the overlooked issue of rare diseases. In today’s fast-paced world, where medical advancements are rapid, the film highlights the growing number of individuals affected by these conditions. By showcasing their challenges and resilience, the documentary underscores the need to prioritize treatments and cures, especially as profit-driven markets often overshadow human well-being. Against the backdrop of evolving healthcare systems, “Rare” sparks a conversation about equitable access to care and the ethical implications of neglecting these conditions.
The unbelievable story of Hillel Kook (also known by his underground name Peter Bergson) is known to few today. While many streets are adorned with the names of minor Zionist wheelers and dealers, Kook has not even merited an alley. But without this tenacious and creative man – the Forrest Gump of the period before Israel was established – the Israeli state may not have even existed.
Hillel Kook (1915-2001), the nephew of Rabbi Kook, was one of the first and youngest commanders in the Irgun underground movement. In 1940, Jabotinsky summoned him to the United States to serve as his personal secretary, and upon Jabotinsky’s death, Kook remotely oversaw Begin’s appointment as commander of the Irgun.
When news of the Holocaust began to reach America, Kook decided to do whatever he could to stop it – even at the price of conflict with the Jews of the United States and the leaders of the Yishuv in Israel. Along with a handful of partners collectively known as “The Bergson Group”, he founded a series of organizations, raised massive awareness in the press, using giant news advertisements to harass President Roosevelt, recruited lawmakers and celebrities, produced the play “We Shall not Die” (starring Marlon Brando!) and organized the Rabbis’ March to the Capitol in Washington.
The Jewish leadership was envious and entreated the FBI to “take care” of Kook. But ultimately Kook’s group of zealots with strange accents achieved impressive results. Roosevelt was forced to declare the establishment of the “War Refugee Board”. Some historians claim the Bergson group was responsible for rescuing 200,000 Jews. Kook is commemorated at Holocaust museums in the United States, but his struggle is absent from “Yad
Vashem”.
After the war, Kook resumed fighting for his country. In an audacious move, the Bergson Group purchased the Persian Embassy building in Washington, hoisted a blue-and-white flag, and declared it to be the Hebrew embassy. This embassy sent letters all over the world, for example, to the Arab League, claiming that the country in formation would be a Jewish-Arab partnership.
In October of 1947, despite Begin’s lack of enthusiasm, the group filed a memo with the UN towards a unilateral declaration of a government in exile. Ben Gurion did not want to be preempted by the Irgun. Contrary to his close advisors’ advice, he declared the establishment of Israel only one month later, on November 29th.
Upon declaration of the new state, Kook hurried to Israel and “the Bergson Group” initiated and funded the Altalena. Kook was not pleased with Begin’s activity, but was incarcerated by the IDF at a secret facility for four months.
Kook liked to say, “I’m the most leftist right-winger and the most rightist left-winger.” Although he was a member of the first Knesset on behalf of the Herut party, he coined the term “post-Zionism” in a 1947 article. He believed that after the establishment of the State, Zionism could be disposed of. He founded the first civil rights organization in Israel and was one of the pioneers of the battle to separate religion from state. His greatest battle, which he fought until the end of his life, was for a constitution. When the founding committee decided not to draft a constitution, Kook declared it a “putsch”. When Begin found the constitution to be less important, Kook tried to take over the Herut party, and when he failed to do so, he left it. Had he succeeded, there would not have been a judicial reform, and October 7th would probably not have happened.
Kook was pushed out of the country for which he had battled. In 1951, beaten and oppressed, he returned to the United States and became a businessman. In the 1960’s he returned to Israel, and from his home in Kefar Shmaryahu, tried to rekindle the flame. He organized meetings and attempted to publish a newspaper. But the public was uninterested in the man and his obsession with a constitution – except a few young men such as Doron Rosenblum, Yossef Aggasi and Yoram Kaniuk.
Kook should have been remembered as one of the most influential persons in the establishment of Israel, in the spirit of David Ben Gurion and Menachem Begin, but was equally forgotten by left and right. He was called “The Father of the Hebrew Nation” by the academic Moshe Brandt. In his eulogy for Kook, Yoram Kaniuk called him “one of the most overlooked people in our generation”.
The investigative work of researcher Renen Yarezki has yielded historic treasures. An attempt to amend the historic injustice and an effort to outline “the road not taken”, “Hillel Kook was Right” is a proposal for a different present and future for Israel – which is especially relevant today.
