The Golden Door Film Festival to Screen Guy Jackson's Directorial Debut, 3.5
By: Kaitlin Milligan Sep. 18, 2018
The Golden Door Film Festival (GDIFF) proudly announces the upcoming screening of Guy Jackson's directorial debut, the short film, 3.5. Inspired by true events the film follows a family shattered by the choices of a mother suffering from postpartum depression. The film opens on the lead character Maggie Elliot, played by the film's producer and writer Stacey Van Gorder, feeling lost and despondent as she drives to the George Washington Bridge, where statistically every 3.5 days someone attempts suicide. Maggie's unthinkable act led her to this moment prompting her to weigh her life's options at 213 feet above the Hudson River. It could be her escape, a sure death. In 2017 alone, 15 people jumped to their deaths. The George Washington Bridge attracts people in Maggie's position every month, every week, every 3.5 days. This is just one of many stories that was inspired by one attempt. In the fall of 2017, the rise in suicides prompted the Port Authority to install and 11 -foot high fence and netting to thwart all future suicide attempts until a permanent fence is installed.
The film, directed by Guy Jackson, Director of Photography for the hit show Chopped, eloquently explores this suicide attempt and the detrimental effects of postpartum depression, the death of a child and the impact of these events as it tears apart a family. John, the husband portrayed by Daniel Reiser, grapples with his wife's decisions and the effects of these actions and delivers an emotional performance as his character tries to make sense of it all...and preserve what is left of his family.
Director Guy Jackson
3.5 is Guy Jackson's directorial debut. He has over 25 years of experience shooting and lighting documentaries, commercials, music videos, TV shows and more. He has been the Director of Photography (DP) on the hit show, Chopped, for more than a decade. It is a project that he and Stacey Van Gorder cultivated and nourished to its completion. He has dedicated his career to telling stories in the most cinematic way whether it's a feature, documentary, a TV show or a short film.
Actors:
Stacey Van Gorder
Stacey Van Gorder is a writer, producer, actor and native New Yorker. She has been acting professionally for the last 10 years. After working with Samantha Brooks, Mel Brooks' granddaughter, on her first short film, Stacey was inspired to write and produce her own material. In 2016 she wrote, produced and starred in Steps, a short film that was accepted into numerous prestigious festivals garnering her best actor nominations. In August 2018, she wrote, produced, and shot her first pilot. Stacey can be seen in the upcoming season of THE DEUCE on HBO. She lives with her husband and their five children in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Daniel Reiser:
Daniel Reiser, who portrays the character of John in 3.5, returns to the screen after a 15 year hiatus from acting. He is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and has numerous stage, television and film credits of note. Among them include Sliders, My Secret Identity, Scent of a Woman, HBO's Autopsy, Hurlyburly, Criminal Genius, Fool for Love, Mousetrap. Dan lives in Tenafly, New Jersey with his wife, Gabrielle and four boys, and is Vice President, US Property Management, Leasing and Acquisitions for Panepinto Properties. It's no surprise with Daniel's love for the arts that Panepinto Properties and Panepinto Galleries have been sponsors since the very first festival in 2010. After all these years, it is truly an honor that Daniel Reiser is starring in a film that was chosen as an official selection of the Golden Door Film Festival.
About Golden Door Film Festival (GDIFF)
GDIFF, founded by Jersey City native actor Bill Sorvino, will feature much more in addition to the Red Carpet events listed above, including movies that further the festival's philanthropic mission of raising awareness about autism. Please visit our website goldendoorfilmfestival.org for a schedule & description of all the films screening during the 2018 festival.
Voted one of 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2018, Voted #1 film festival in New Jersey by NJ Stage Magazine in 2015 Voted #1 film festival in New Jersey by NJ Stage Magazine in 2016. GDIFF has also become one of the most important outlets for raising awareness for Autism and other disabilities through its innovative special needs panels and film platform
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