john

I've been blessed in life to be given a vision and the means to see it through...I make documentaries that celebrate the greatness in all of us, stories that shed light on the good and the bad, ideas that give just a moment of pause and reflection.My first film, BEYOND EYRUV, looks at the darker side of Hasidic life, focusing on the intimate story of a troubled young man trying to find his way after leaving the community for the secular "outside" world. We see Moshe as he battles with sex, drugs, education, family and faith. There are many controversial subjects brought up in the documentary, including the subject's lack of any formal english education (even though he was raised in New York,) and his multiple molestations suffered within the community.The film won Best Feature Documentary at this year's Woodstock Film Festival. It premiered at Silverdocs, and has gone on to play Hot Springs, Warsaw Jewish Film Festival, Sacramento with many more to come. The film will be featured in the winter edition of MovieMaker Magazine in the Coming Attractions section.www.beyondeyruv.comI'm in North Carolina working on a film about a family of Gospel singers who's dream has always been to buy a bus and travel the country saving souls.The Suttons have been at it for 30 years, since the kids were old enough to stand in the front of their family church… singing and preaching the Gospel as the Faithway Doves. JESUS AND THE FAITHWAY DOVES is the amazing story of Ernest and Valeria, and all 10 of their kids, whose life long dream is to travel the U.S. singing and praising, saving people along the way.But as time has moved on, their hopes of realizing this dream has grown slight. Though there’s still a passion, the everyday reality of bills, jobs, school and kids of their own has begun to make the Doves weary. Sensing a split, the group’s leader, 20 year old Abel, has challenged his brothers and sisters to give it one last chance, one more shot before calling it quits.Though they’ve answered Abel’s call, some of the older siblings are skeptical. His powerful words hold them in a temporary state of motion, but their minds and hearts have begun to wander.JESUS AND THE FAITHWAY DOVES chronicles the Sutton family’s struggle for more than three years as they look to the Lord to help make their dream a reality.www.gospeldoc.comI'm lucky. I have a great family who nurtured and loved me and taught me to treat others with respect and kindness. I have an incredible, diverse, intelligent, fun and amazing group of friends all over the world. I'm still growing and learning, and look at life's experiences, both good and bad, as positive.