Kickstarter

Filmmakers Alliance is PROUD to sponsor "David and Goliath"'s screening for Academy Award eligibility. 

The film needs to play in a commercial theater for 3 days to qualify. Because FA is a 501(c)3 non-profit and we are sponsoring this effort, your contribution is tax-deductible - which isn't automatically the case with Kickstarter donations.

We strongly feel this important film needs to be recognized and seen by all. Here is a special message from the filmmaker: 

I have always had a passion for film, and helping other filmmakers realize their vision. I decided I needed to make one of my long time desires come true and make a film of my own. I had many stories I wanted to tell but one story kept coming back to me and deeply moved me. It was told by my dearest friend Brigitte Bako’s father David, a survivor of the Holocaust. 

I wrote the screenplay and was then honored by winning the Filmmakers Alliance/Kodak Short Filmmaking Grant. This true story depicts just a couple of moments in one man’s life, but it’s power transcends the basic plot. I wanted to portray the wonderful possibility of selflessness in strangers, show the intelligence and kindness of animals and demonstrate the way in which fortunate occurrences make us all, weather religious or not, search for divinity in order to explain our sense that we have been blessed. 

I never expected such overwhelming positive response from audiences to my short. I had one screening in Los Angeles filled with survivors that moved me so deeply. Afterwards they all wanted to share their experiences with me and asked if I would make a film of their story. I wish I could, I told them. I think more of these stories need to be told. By submitting the film for Academy consideration I hope to honor the memory of David Bako and all Holocaust survivors through recognition by the Academy in the short film category.

FILM DETAILS 

Country: USA Language English Category: 

Short Film Genre: Drama 

Running time: 11.46 minutes 

Format: 35mm, Color 

Year of Production: 2010 

SYNOPSIS: 

Set in 1943 Czechoslovakia, David a Jew fleeing for his life from Nazis finds refuge and ultimately a ferocious German Shepherd becomes saviour. Based on a true story of resistance fighter David Bako.

CAST:

BILLY BURKE: DAVID  

GRIM: THE DOG

KENT KASPER: OSKAR

MICHAELA VON SCHWEINITZ: BELLA

JIM BOEVEN: PVT. SCHNEIDER

RUDOLF MARTIN: PVT. BACKER

CREW:

PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ WRITER: GEORGE ZAVERDAS 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: BRIGITTE BAKO, JACQUES THELEMAQUE, TANI COHEN 

PRODUCER: TOM MILO , GEORGE ZAVERDAS

CINEMATOGRAPHY: ROBERT MCLACHLAN 

PRODUCTION DESIGN: GEOFF FLINT 

EDITOR: JEFFREY ORGILL 

MUSIC: CHRISTOPHER KLATMAN 

FILM FESTIVALS AND AWARDS:

PALM BEACH FILM FESTIVAL (2011) 

CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD 

CANADA INT. FILM FESTIVAL: BEST FIRST TIME DIRECTOR ( 2011) 

L.A. JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER: BEST SHORT 

BEST OF THE BEST: PALM SPRINGS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (2011) 

BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD NOMINEE: CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS. 

SAN JOSE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (2011) LA SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL (2011) 

BOSTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (2011) 

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FEST: GLOBAL AUDIENCE AWARD (2011) 

IRIVNE FILM FESTIVAL (2012) SAN DIEGO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (2012) 

GREATER ARIZONA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (2012) 

MAINE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL ( 2012) 

VENTURA COUNTY JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL ( 2012) 

CORNFED FILM FESTIVAL: BEST PRODUCTION VALUES CINEMATOGRAPHY IN AN INDEPENDENT FILM ( 2012) 

REEL SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL: GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA

BIOS

George Zaverdas aka Zaver (Writer-Director) - George Zaverdas is a marketing professional turned writer/director with 18 years in the motion picture industry. He worked 16 years for Nielsen/ National Research Group and now works for IPSOS/MediaCT, Worldwide Motion Picture Group, managing all aspects of test screenings and press screenings. George has worked in PR, as a programmer and film consultant to hundreds of films. Prior to this, George was an actor. He attended the California Institute Of The Arts, Circle In The Square Professional Workshop, and the School Of Visual Arts. George is a graduate of the High School Of Performing Arts, born and raised in New York City and currently residing in Los Angeles. 

Brigitte Bako (Executive Producer) - Brigitte Bako is an actress-writer-producer with an impressive list of film and television credits including “New York Stories” “Strange Days” and the original “Red Shoe Diaries”. Bako was a Genie Award nominee for Best Actress in 1993 for her work in the acclaimed Canadian film, “I Love A Man In Uniform’. In 2003, she again received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for “Saint Monica". Bako appeared as Bianca, a series regular, in HBO’s, “The Mind Of The Married Man” . In 2004, Bako created, wrote, starred in and executive-produced the hit Canadian cable series, “G-spot”, which ran until 2009.

Jacques Thelemaque (Executive Producer) - Jacques is a writer, director and producer, who, in 1993, co-founded Filmmakers Alliance - which has supported the development and production of hundreds of feature films. He is also co-President of FA Productions and was the former Chief Community Officer at Withoutabox.com. His short films include “My Last Day On Earth”, “Infidelity In Equal Parts”, “Egg”, “Love Without Socks” and "Transaction" - which played at the Sundance Film Festival, and won the Grand Prix du Jury Award at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. He also wrote, directed and produced the feature film “The Dogwalker” and produced or co-produced five other feature films.