Echo Chamber - 333 - Part Two (The Heart Of Texas)
You can hear ‘Part One’ of this week’s episode, HERE!!!
Film is often seen as a window into the world, and in ‘Part TWO’ of this week’s @EchoChamberFP, we peak through.
Today is all thanks to the living legend, AJ Feuerman. We check an award winning indie, which holds a light up to the plight of undocumented immigrants, through the device of the American Dream, and is playing at this years 'Hollyshorts Film Festival'. It’s also a proof of concept for a larger, more in-depth exploration of the subject!
'The Heart Of Texas' is directed by Gregory JM Kasunich, who co-wrote with Lauren Noll. An aspiring country singer (Lauren Noll) on her way to a life changing audition who collides with an undocumented worker (Carlos Moreno Cravioto) who, despite excruciating pain, refuses medical care. The two engage in a struggle, each in pursuit of their own American dreams.
Watch the conversation: HERE!
In 'Part Two' we have:
The Heart Of Texas - Poster
The Heart Of Texas
Watch Review: Here.
12th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival, World Premiere: December 2023
Another Hole In the Head: December 2023
Mammoth Film Festival: 29th February 2024
Omaha Film Festival: 2nd March 2024
Blackbird Film Festival: 14th April 2024
Somerville International Film Festival: 14th July 2024
2024 Hollyshorts Film Festival: 17th August 2024
Director: Gregory JM Kasunich
Cast: Lauren Noll, Carlos Moreno Cravioto, Eduardo Zambrana, Peggy Schott, Brooke Matthews, Richard C. Jones, Samuel Thomas, Andrew Lester, Lily Nussbaum, Matthew Salinas, Georgia Vasiu, Lori Davidson, Christopher Bishop, Sgt. Stephen Drews, Aaron Konzelman, Victor Hawk, Becca English, Breshena Crosby, Andy Racoti, Julie Cervantes, Gregory JM Kasunich, Carol Olive Noll
Credit: Department of Light & Sound
Genre: Comedy, Thriller
Running Time: 14:50 min
Cert: 15
Trailer: Here.
Website: Here.
Instagram: @heartoftexasmovie
Watch the conversation: HERE!
Gregory J.M. Kasunich
Gregory J.M. Kasunich
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Cinematographer
Gregory J.M. Kasunich is an award-winning film, commercial and music video writer, director, and producer from Pittsburgh, PA. His body of work includes projects for Taylor Swift, Pentatonix, The Summer Set, DreamWorks, Disney, Lucasfilm, General Mills, DirectTV, Mattel, iHeatRadio, and many more.
Kasunich’s editorial and portrait photography has been published in several periodicals. His films have been nominated and awarded in festivals the world over. His latest project, short film “The Heart of Texas,” debuted to critical acclaim at the Mammoth Film Festival in February where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Award for "Best Short Film” and took home “Best Actress: Short Film.” In addition the film earned “Best Short” awards from the Hill Country, Fire Island and Somerville International Film Festivals and Kasunich was named “Best Director” at Fire Island.
“The Heart of Texas” will premiere at the prestigious HollyShorts film festival in Los Angels on August 17.
Follow Gregory via:
IMDb: Here.
Linkedin: Here.
Website: Here.
Instagram: @gregoryjmkasunich
YouTube: Here.
Vimeo: Here.
Lauren Noll
Lauren Noll
Actor, Producer, Director, Writer, Singer
Lauren Noll is a Los Angeles-based actor/director/writer/producer with a Master’s Degree in Acting from the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. While at A.R.T., Lauren was a cast member of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, directed by Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin, which went on to a Broadway run and garnered several Tony nominations. Since arriving in LA post-grad school, in addition to acting in various films, commercials, and music videos, Lauren’s curiosity around other roles in filmmaking led her to write, direct, and star in her award-winning short film, Honor (2020). She is thrilled to have followed that filmmaking debut with two collaborations with producing partner, Dalia Rooni: Gen V (2021) for which they were granted a development deal with Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe, and Clean Slate (2022), for which they were awarded a grand jury prize at the Collaboration Filmmakers Challenge. In addition to being in development on her first feature film with Dalia, Lauren is also in pre-production for a short film with co-writer and producer Gregory Kasunich after their script won a production grant in the screenwriting competition at Deep in the Heart Film Festival this summer. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Lauren seeks to tell all stories through her inherent queer lens and particularly gifts her projects to her own community.
Follow Lauren via:
IMDb: Here.
Linkedin: Here.
Facebook: Here.
Instagram: @laurencnoll
Watch Lauren's films via Prime Video: Here.
You can hear ‘Part One’ of this week’s episode, HERE!!!
*(Music)
'The Big Payback' (Instrumental) by EPMD - 2020