MY BIG BREAK
Is it luck or talent? Filmed over ten years, this controversial documentary follows five roommates trying to make it in Hollywood who face the unexpected consequences of fame. When Tony Zierra, an aspiring filmmaker with no money, stars or crew, resorts to filming the lives of his four struggling actor roommates, he never imagines the incredible twists of fate he would end up capturing on camera. Things take an amazing turn when three of the actors, Brad Rowe (Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss, Shelter), Chad Lindberg (October Sky, The Fast And The Furious) and Wes Bentley (American Beauty, The Hunger Games) defy astronomical odds and quickly hit it big. Meanwhile, the fourth actor, Greg Fawcett, is nearly driven insane watching the others get rich, famous and showered with attention. It doesn't take long for the unsettling reality of stardom to set in. Lindberg's hope of becoming a leading man is crushed when he’s repeatedly told he isn’t good-looking enough; Rowe ends up typecast as a pretty boy and can't break past his uncanny resemblance to Brad Pitt; while Bentley, who has the most explosive career launch in decades, is quickly pulled into the darker side of the L.A. lifestyle. As the actors deal with life in the public eye and the ever-present threat of failure, Zierra struggles with constant obstacles while he tries to complete his film - including being scrutinized and blocked by the actors' nervous agents. Ultimately, the roommates find themselves in a spiral of disillusionment and frustration as they learn the hard way that the Hollywood Dream is built on the bottom line. From a unique vantage point, My Big Break explores what it's really like to become famous. It's an unflinching look at the struggle for success, the high of making it and ultimately the pain of losing it.
AWARDS - SCREENINGS
Best Documentary, Boston Film Festival, Boston
Best Documentary, Artsfest, Pennsylvania
Nominated for Best Documentary, Raindance Film Festival, London
Official Selection, American Cinematic Experience Festival, New York
American Culture/Popular Culture Conference, New Orleans
Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Pennsylvania
George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Bennington College, Vermont
Eyecon, Florida
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