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Medalia Back at Windrider with “The Storm”

Producer/Subject James Lecesne Coming as Special Guest
Film to Screen at Closing Night Event-January 30, 2010

By Jenna Ratzlaff

“A big, warm hug of feel-better entertainment…
a community salve.”
- Jeannette Catoulis – New York Times

Hilla Medalia first came to the Windrider Forum at Sundance back in 2005. Having just won the “Best Documentary Award” at the 2004 Angelus Student Film Festival, Medalia screened her award-winning student film, Daughters of Abraham at the Forum. It was there that Medalia met Windider co-founders, John and Ed Priddy, and that meeting has resulted in a three film collaboration between the trio. Medalia produced the “Academy” short listed, 39 Pounds of Love and then went on to critical acclaim with To Die In Jerusalem. The latter was the feature film version of Daughters of Abraham and went on to win a “George Foster Peabody” Award and become nominated for three Emmys.

The latest collaboration between Medalia and the Priddy’s is the feature documentary After the Storm, which will screen as a part of the Windrider Forum closing night event on January 30th (7 pm, Mountain Vineyard). The rough cut version of the film was shown at the American Embassy during last year’s Windrider in Prague. The completed film has just begun its festival screening journey and has already garnered both the “Audience Choice” and “Crystal Heart” Awards at the Heartland Film Festival and was awarded the “Audience Award” at the Woodstock Film Festival.

“A stirring portrayal of New Orleans coming back to life”
- Stephen Farber – The Hollywood Reporter

The film chronicles the efforts of a few New York-based theater people to make their own modest contribution to the citizens of New Orleans. St. Mark’s Community Center, built in 1908, was destroyed by Hurrican Katrina, and to help rebuild the center these three New Yorkers decide to enlist young people — to stage a revival of “Once on This Island,” a Tony-nominated hit from the 1990s. The musical by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens was set on a Caribbean island attempting to recover from a hurricane.

Medalia and the Priddys will be on hand for the screening along with producer and subject, James Lecesne. A best selling author, actor and Academy Award winning writer, Lecesne is a main subject in the film and has been a tireless catalyst for the After the Storm Foundation.