‘Magazine Dream’ Starring Jonathan Majors

Magazine Dreams Poster

Director and Writer: Elijah Bynum
Starring: Jonathan Majors, Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Harrison Page, Harriet Sansom Harris, Mike O'Hearn
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Run time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Language: English
Country: United States

Director and writer Elijah Bynum’s ‘Magazine Dream’ share the life and challenges of Killian Maddox (Jonathan Majors), an aspiring bodybuilder and mentally ill grocery store worker, who lives with grandfather Paw-Paw after his father killed his mother and committed suicide.

The other stars of the film are Jessie (Haley Bennett), a grocery store worker and Killian's love-interest; Pink Coat (Taylour Paige), a sex worker; Brad Vanderhorn (Mike O'Hearn), a professional bodybuilder and Killian's idol; William Lattimore (Harrison Page), Killian's grandfather; Patricia Waldron (Harriet Sansom Harris), Killian's counselor; Ken Donaghue (Bradley Stryker), a roofing and plumbing worker who assaults Killian; Dr. Prescott (Dan Donahue), Killian's doctor; (Craig Cackowski), as a bodybuilding contest judge who placed Killian poorly; the Head Judge (David Maurice Johnson) of the regional bodybuilding competition.

Distributor: Briarcliff Entertainment
Production Companies: Los Angeles Media Fund, JF Productions
Producers: Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, Jeffrey Soros, Simon Horsman, Luke Rogers
Cinematographer: Adam Arkapaw
Editor: Jon Otazua
Music: Jason Hill

KINGS OF VEGAS: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE RUNNIN’ REBELS HISTORIC LEGACY

Groundbreaking Documentary Marks the 35th Anniversary of UNLV’s 1990 Championship with exclusive Player-Driven Storytelling

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March 31, 2025 (Las Vegas, NV)  – In honor of the 35th anniversary of the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels legendary 1989-90 NCAA championship victory, The Real Story LLC and Hidden Empire Sports (HESC), the newly formed sports division of Hidden Empire Film Group (HEFG) are teaming up to produce a groundbreaking documentary that finally unveils the full story, directly from the players who lived it.

The four-part UNLV: Kings of Vegas documentary will explore one of the most dynamic and polarizing college basketball teams ever. It won’t shy away from the controversies surrounding the UNLV squad and will take an in-depth look at the rise of some of the most electrifying college players—Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt, and more. "All you've heard before are rumors. Now you hear the truth from Us, by Us. The only championship I've ever won was with the brotherhood at UNLV," declared Larry Johnson.

For decades, the Runnin’ Rebels unparalleled dominance, cultural impact, and the controversies surrounding their reign have been discussed and dissected by outsiders. Now, for the first time, the team itself takes center stage, reclaiming its narrative and revealing what truly happened on and off the court. "It's time that you heard this story from us. The story's been told before by people who don't know us. You hear the truth from us directly," emphasized Stacey Augmon.

The documentary will cover the wins, the losses, the pain, the controversy, the racism, and everything that went into building one of the most legendary teams in college basketball history. Former guard Brian Emerzian proclaimed, "The Kings were the REAL show in town!" UNLV: Kings of Vegas will also spotlight the incredible impact of Jerry Tarkanian, a coach ahead of his time, who revolutionized recruiting by tapping into the culture and giving elite players opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have had. "We were kids in Sin City. How'd you think we'd act? We were kids but played and partied like adults," reflected Moses Scurry.

Randy Arehart and Phil Lopez from The Real Story, who will serve as producers, emphasized, “When we discussed with the team how they wanted to make this documentary, their response was 'Nobody has told our story or heard it from us...Now is the time!'”

Hosted by Hip-Hop pioneer Chuck D and Basketball icon Cheryl Miller, the documentary features an unprecedented roundtable where, for the first time in 35 years, all 13 players come together to reflect on their journey, triumphs, and the challenges that defined their legacy. “We are honored to tell this story from the perspective of the players who lived it,” expressed Roxanne Avent-Taylor, co-CEO of HEFG. “For too long, the narrative has been shaped by outsiders. This documentary will finally let the Runnin’ Rebels speak their truth.”

Framing the Runnin’ Rebels impact beyond the game, UNLV: Kings of Vegas will feature insight from cultural and sports icons, including Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Kimmel, Chuck D, Coach Krzyzewski, and Kenny Anderson, highlighting how this team transcended Basketball and left an indelible mark on American culture. “No one has ever talked until now—I guess the statute of limitations is over,” joked Deon Taylor, co-CEO of HEFG. “You’ve heard others tell this story, but you’ve never heard it from them—until now.”

Matt Barnes and Jelani McCoy’s All the Smoke will collaborate on the documentary, further strengthening the project’s connection to basketball culture. Damien “Big Percy” Roderick will serve as an Executive Producer through his company, Roderick Music Marketing. The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels were the epitome of the first-time basketball, hip-hop, culture, and lifestyle all merged into one perfect moment. They set the stage for the world we live in today, from basketball shoes to the way we wear our jerseys and socks, to everything shaping the culture. UNLV: Kings of Vegas is one of the most important basketball stories to be told, and Hidden Empire Sports is excited to produce this electric story. The film is currently in post-production and is set to release in Fall 2025.

‘LOCKED’ Starring Anthony Hopkins in Theaters March 21st

Locked Poster

Release date March 21, 2025

Director: David Yarovesky
Screenplay: Michael Arlen Ross
Based on 4x4  by Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Bill Skarsgård, Ashley Cartwright, Michael Eklund, Navid Charkhi
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rating; R
Run time:  1 hour 33 minutes
Country: United States
Language:English

Director David Yarovesky’s ‘LOCKED’ follows a thief whose run-of-the-mill robbery turns into a nightmare.  William (Anthony Hopkins), Eddie Barrish (Bill Skarsgård), Sarah (Ashley Cartwright), Karl Michael Eklund (Michael Eklund )and Butter (Navid Charkhi.)

Release date March 21, 2025
Distributor: The Avenue
Producers: Zainab Azizi, Sam Raimi, Ara Keshishian, Petr Jákl
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Bill Skarsgård, Ashley Cartwright, Michael Eklund, Navid Charkhi
Cinematographer: Michael Dallatorre
Music: Timothy Williams
Production companies: ZQ Entertainment, Raimi Productions

‘The Fire Inside’ the Life of Boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields

The Fire Inside Poster

Release date: December 25, 2024 in the United States

Director: Rachel Morrison
Writer: Barry Jenkins
Starring: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry, Adam Clark
Genre: Biographical, sports
Run time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut ‘The Fire Inside’ tells the story of boxer Claressa "T-Rex" Shields (Ryan Destiny) and her rise from Flint, Michigan to the 2012 Summer Olympics, with the help of her coach, Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) and the challenges she encounters along the way. Includes her mother Jackie Shields (Oluniké Adeliyi), Mickey (De'Adre Aziza), Clarence (Adam Clark.)

Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
Producers: Elishia Holmes, Barry Jenkins
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Cinematographer: Rina Yang
Editor: Harry Yoon
Music: Tamar-kali

View The New Clip for ‘THE STORY WON’T DIE’, Out On VOD in US, Canada, UK and Worldwide on June 21, World Refugee Day

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Director: David Henry Gerson
Producer: Odessa Rae (NAVALNY)
Co-Producers: Abdalaziz Alhamza, Colleen Ritzau Leth and Martin Marquet
Featuring: Medhat Aldaabal, Tammam Azzam, Diala Brisly, Abu Hajar, Bahila Hijazi, Omar Imam, Lynn Mayya, Anas Maghrebi and Mhd Sabboura
Genre: Feature Documentary
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Run Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Country: USA/Germany

VOD PLATFORMS INCLUDE: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google TV, Vimeo + and more|

OFFICIAL SELECTION: Hot Docs, AFI Docs, Watch Docs and many more!

WINNER! Best Director at Doc LA and Best Feature Doc at FIC Autor Guadalajara.

THE STORY WON’T DIE, from Award-winning filmmaker David Henry Gerson, is an inspiring, timely look at a young generation of Syrian artists who use their work to protest and process what is currently the world’s largest and longest ongoing displacement of people since World War II. The film is produced by Sundance Award-winning producer Odessa Rae (Navalny).

Rapper Abu Hajar, together with other celebrated creative personalities of the Syrian uprising, a post-Rock musician (Anas Maghrebi), members of the first all-female Syrian rock band (Bahila Hijazi and Lynn Mayya), break-dancer (Bboy Shadow), choreographer (Medhat Aldaabal), and visual artists (Tammam Azzam, Omar Imam and Diala Brisly), use their art to rise in revolution and endure in exile in this new documentary reflecting on a battle for peace, justice and freedom of expression. It is an uplifting and humanizing look at what it means to be a refugee in today’s world and offers inspiring and hopeful vantages on a creative response to the chaos of war. 

DAVID HENRY GERSON  is a filmmaker whose work has won prizes from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Sundance Film Festival, and has been acquired into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in NY. He is a graduate of Columbia University and the American Film Institute, where he was the recipient of the AFI Richard P. Rodgers Award for Creative Excellence. His film, ALL THESE VOICES, won the Student Academy Award®. David’s spec screenplay, ABOVE KINGS, was nominated to the Tracking Board Hit List and was a semifinalist for the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship. His documentary film ULTRA VIOLET FOR SIXTEEN MINUTES (“Totally engaging” - Al Maysles), screened at festivals worldwide, the Pompidou Museum in Paris, and was acquired into the permanent collection of the MoMA. THE STORY WON’T DIE is his debut feature. 

See New Trailer! IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA at Hot Docs 2022

Hot Docs 2022 Logo
IOAND  (Photo Credit Paranord Film)
IOAND (Photo Credit Paranord Film)

IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA International Premiere
Section: Artscapes
Director: Nils Gaup
Producer: Linn Henriksen
Running Time: 1 hour 11 minutes
Language: English, German, Norwegian
Country: Norway, Germany
Genre: Feature Documentary

HOT DOCS 2022 Festival Screenings:
Public Screening:
Saturday, April 30 at 11:30am
Location: Varsity 8 (55 Bloor Street West)
Thursday, May 5 at 8:45pm

About
A persistent art collector (Haakon Mehren) faces unexpected resistance while championing the work of an unknown Norwegian artist after finding a cache of paintings in a barn. Despite success abroad, the undiscovered work of Aksel Waldemar Johannessen, an admired contemporary of Edvard Munch, takes nearly three decades to launch. The painter's oil depictions of prostitutes and drunks living in miserable poverty offend the bourgeois aesthetics of Norway's art establishment and challenge the canon to the point of sabotaging his rediscovery. Will rejection by the curatorial staff at the National Museum and gatekeepers of the Munch Museum diminish Johannessen's work? An invaluable insight into art world politics, cultural institutions' ties to big business and the power of exposure, IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA  shows Johannessen's pieces repetitively throughout the film, to the point of familiarity, to demonstrate how contact with works of art cultivate appreciation and memorability, and how essential access is to making or breaking an audience for an artist's oeuvre.

Nils Gaup was born in Kautokeino, Northern-Norway in 1955. Gaup is an award-winning screenwriter and director with over 30 years of experience from filmmaking. His first feature film PATHFINDER (1987) was nominated for an Academy Award.

Since then, he has made numerous feature films, with IMAGES OF A NORDIC DRAMA, being his first documentary. His upcoming projects include THE RIOT, a powerful Norwegian historical action film chronicling a miners’ uprising at the start of the 20th century starring Swedish actors Otto Fahlgren (BEARTOWN) and Simon J. Berger (MARGRETE- QUEEN OF THE NORTH).

HOT DOCS 2022 Link to buy tickets:

https://hotdocs.ca/whats-on/hot-docs-festival/films/2022/images-of-a-nordic-drama

@hotdocs #HotDocs22

SEE TRAILER BELOW!

Documentary WORST TO FIRST: The True Story of Z100 New York Nationwide release on major US and Canadian VOD platforms on February 11 

WORST TO FIRST THE TRUE STORY OF Z100 NEW YORK New Key Art
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Available on February 11th on:

US CABLE PLATFORMS INCLUDE: InDemand (Comcast, Spectrum, Charter, Cox, Frontier), DirectTV and more.

<US VOD PLATFORMS INCLUDE: Apple/ iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, Vudu, Microsoft and more.

 CANADIAN VOD PLATFORM: Apple/ iTunes

View Clips of Film!

A List of Films and Trailers for the Best of PAFF Retrospective Series Virtual Festival Feb. 15-28 Black History Month

41st and Central
500 Years Later Photo: PAFF
Agent of Change
Ancestral Voices- Esoteric African Knowledge
Bigman Wahala
Caged Birds
Coming-from-Insanity
Congo White King Red Rubber Black Death
Firestarter-The-Story-of-Bangarra
Love Jacked
Maya Angelou- And Still I Rise
Nassers Republic- The Making of Modern Egypt
October 1
Of Good Report
Rattlesnake
The Case of the Three Sided Dream
The Forgotten Kingdom
The Milkmaid
Viva -Riva

Invitation to special Q and A event hosted by Rainn Wilson: SALT IN MY SOUL on February 8

Salt In My Soul_Poster

Join us on Tuesday Feb 8th at 4:00 PM PT/ 7:00 PM ET for a very special free virtual Q&A moderated by Rainn Wilson (The Office)
all about the new documentary SALT IN MY SOUL.

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of 3, Mallory Smith turned to a secret diary to record her inner thoughts . Using that treasure trove of writing, and hours of audio and video, the film is a classic coming-of-age story with a twist, and a rare look into the mind of a young woman trying to live fully while dying.

This will be an exciting conversation about how SALT IN MY SOUL got made, what friends and family went through witnessing this journey, and how Mallory's private journals led to a best-selling book and acclaimed documentary film. We'll also hear from experts and leaders about how their expertise intersected with Mallory's story in vital ways and the future of phages as well as the need for more research and resources into compassionate use.

Featuring:
Will Battersby (Director)
Diane Shader Smith (Mallory's mom)
Micah Smith (Mallory's brother)
Maya Humes (Mallory's friend)
Gunnar Esiason (Cystic Fibrosis and rare disease patient leader)
Dr. Ben Chan(Scientific Director of Yale Phage Center)
Steffanie Strathdee, PhD (Co-Director of IPATH & author, The Perfect Predator)

ABOUT THIS EVENT
Tuesday, February 8, 2022

-7:00 PM- 8:00 PM ET
-4:00 PM- 5:00 PM PT

REGISTER TO ATTEND AT:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/salt-in-my-soul-virtual-panel-hosted-by-rainn-wilson-tickets-259568896557?fbclid=IwAR2S23ZYtjcD0Itdjsy9bLz3vg1RRPU6U1jswvRdpdQ_R_stuiiKp4I9SUQ

SPONSORED BY: Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute
RENT THE FILM BEFOREHAND on digital platforms -

More info here: https://saltinmysouldoc.com/#watch

100% of the profits from the film are being donated to research into antimicrobial resistance (superbugs) and phage therapy.

Further information about the film also follows:

GIANT PICTURES PRESENTS
A 3 Arts Entertainment and Reno Productions film

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SALT IN MY SOUL

A Feature Documentary Film by Will Battersby
Run time: 96 Minutes (USA- Feature Documentary)

SALT IN MY SOUL is currently available worldwide on all major VOD Platforms.

VOD Platforms in key territories:

US- Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Microsoft/Xbox, Vudu
Canada- Apple TV/ITunes, Microsoft/Xbox
UK- Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Microsoft/Xbox
Ireland- Apple TV/iTunes, Google Play

Cable Platforms:

US- InDemand TVOD (Comcast, Spectrum, Cox), DirectTV/AT&T and more

Based on the bestselling posthumously published memoir of the same name, SALT IN MY SOUL is a documentary and classic coming of age story about a young woman figuring out how to live while dying. Mallory Smith was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of three. In her twenty five-year battle with the deadly disease, she carved out a life that most of us don’t come close to. Using Mallory’s posthumously published 2500-page secret diaries, hundreds of hours of newly discovered footage, and audio recordings, the film offers Mallory as the narrator of her own extraordinary chronicle.

Following her realization at age nine that she would die young, Mallory secretly began to record her inner thoughts in her diary while throwing herself at life: friendships in elementary school, lovers and sports teams in high school, the little travel her disease would allow. She attended college and explored the wider world, one that was just beyond her grasp. She became a devoted environmentalist, seeing a startling and vivid metaphor for her declining health in the destruction of our world. Her father feverishly researched treatment options, desperate that the death sentence be commuted. Her mother obsessively helped her to live, cooking to maintain her weight and create community, raising money for research, and teaching her to prioritize relationships over all else. Mallory fought. And she wrote; about her fears, her loves, her pain, her depression, her hopes, and gave a voice to the many millions who struggle with invisible or visible illness. In Mallory’s final days, her father uncovered a long-forgotten treatment that is now changing the world of medicine. Heartbreakingly, it came too late to save his daughter.

Mallory was a young woman who lived with illness her whole life, who suffered immeasurably but who always found the will to live happy. Her story is a testament to enduring parental love and determination and the healing power of memoir as medicine, inspiring all of us to live life as fully as possible in the face of the challenges we all face.

Will Battersby (Filmmaker) has been producing documentaries and features for 15 years. His first documentary as producer, Trumbo, won the National Board of Review Freedom of Speech award. The film, about blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films and had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

SALT IN MY SOUL is Will’s second documentary as director. The first, The Canal, will be released by Showtime which is currently adapting it into a limited series. Will is producing alongside Patricia Arquette, who will also direct. The Canal is the first feature documentary about the environmental tragedy in the Love Canal neighborhood of Niagara Falls and the extraordinary group of working-class women who fought to save their families.

Will’s narrative feature credits include: SXSW favorite The Spine of Night, a hand-drawn animated fantasy film that RLJE released in October 2021, which stars Richard E. Grant, Lucy Lawless and Patton Oswalt; Stephen King’s A Good Marriage starring Joan Allen; They Remain starring Will Jackson Harper, and The Bleeding House, the first feature from Emmy Award-winning writer/director Philip Gelatt (Love, Death & Robots). Will served as Head of Development on Alex Gibney’s Oscar-nominated documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and Stephen Soderbergh’s Bubble.

Follow us at @SaltInMySoulDoc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

https://twitter.com/SaltInMySoulDoc
http://www.facebook.com/SaltInMySoulDoc
http://www.instagram.com/SaltInMySoulDoc

ABOUT THE BOOK

SALT IN MY SOUL: An Unfinished Life, by Mallory Smith, is a powerful, intimate, and inspiring portrait of a brave young woman living with chronic illness. Mallory understood that patient voices need to be amplified in order to improve healthcare, that the i ntersection of human behavior and nature is critical to environmental sustainability, and that love and friendship give life meaning. As Mallory’s body deteriorated, she sharpened her mind, crystalized her thinking, and honed her writing skills. In her 2500 pages of private journal entries, she created poetry out of prosaic experiences. Beautifully written, provocative, and peppered with insights, SALT IN MY SOUL reminds us to follow Mallory's mantra and "Live Happy."

For more information about the book SALT IN MY SOUL: An Unfinished Life please go to: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/607965/salt-in-my-soul-by-mallory-smith/

GIANT PICTURES

Giant Pictures is a leading digital distributor that is committed to empowering filmmakers to own their distribution. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, we work directly with rights owners to distribute movies and TV shows to VOD and streaming platforms in North America and worldwide. Our content partners range from first-time filmmakers to award-winning independent producers, as well as notable studios Alamo Drafthouse Films, Abramorama Selects, Participant, Tribeca Enterprises, Utopia Distribution, and XYZ Films. A division of Giant Interactive, the award-winning digital media and technology services company, we distribute across 45+ platforms, including AppleTV, Netflix, Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, and Peacock.

Learn more at: www.giant.pictures

View New Trailer “WORST TO FIRST: The True Story of Z100 NYC”

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WORST TO FIRST THE TRUE STORY OF Z100 NEW YORK New Key Art

Director, Writer and Producer: Mitchell Stuart
Producers: Trish Hunter Shannon, Elvis Duran, David Katz and John McConnell
Cast: Scott Shannon, Elvis Duran, Jon Bon Jovi, Nile Rodgers, Clive Davis, Debbie Gibson, Joan Jett, Taylor Dayne, Tony Orlando, Joe Piscopo, “Magic” Matthew Alan, “Professor” Jonathan B. Bell, Frankie Blue, Anita Bonita, Ross Brittain, Pete Cosenza, Michael Ellis, Gavin DeGraw, Cathy Donovan, Gary Fisher, Frank Foti, Sean “Hollywood” Hamilton, David Hinckley, Donnie lenner, Jim Kerr, Steve Kingston, Ken Lane, Kenny Laguna, Jimi LaLumina, Tom Poleman, Geraldo Rivera, Trish Hunter Shannon, Patty Steele, Claire Stevens, Mitchell Stuart, John Sykes and Jim Wood.
Genre: Feature Documentary
Rating: G
Runtime: 1 hour 4 minutes

Joan Jett from Mitchell Stuart's WORST TO FIRST (Photo Credit_ Gunpowder & Sky)
Joan Jett from Mitchell Stuart's WORST TO FIRST (Photo Credit_ Gunpowder & Sky)

WORST TO FIRST: THE TRUE STORY OF Z100 NEW YORK WILL BE RELEASED ON VOD AND CABLE IN THE UNITED STATES ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11.

VOD PLATFORMS INCLUDE: Apple/ iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, Vudu, Microsoft and more.

CABLE PLATFORMS INCLUDE: InDemand (Comcast, Spectrum, Charter, Cox, Frontier), DirectTV and more.

Jon Bon Jovi from Mitchell Stuart's WORST TO FIRST (Photo Credit Gunpowder & Sky)

WORST TO FIRST is a feature-length documentary that portrays the against-all-odds inspirational story of the launch of the iconic and most successful radio station in history, New York City’s Z100. In 1983, Z100 launched from the swamps of New Jersey, where no artist would venture, and the DJs had to buy their own records just to have music to play on air. Fun, poignant and aspirational, the film features Scott Shannon and several other Hall of Fame radio personalities as well as industry legends like Clive Davis and Elvis Duran.

Iconic artists who got their start on Z100 such as Jon Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Nile Rodgers, and era superstars, Debbie Gibson and Taylor Dayne all share their personal stories of the importance of the station, their love of radio and passion for performing music.

Capturing the times, personalities and music of the era, WORST TO FIRST portrays the ultimate David and Goliath story that built the foundation for the world's biggest radio station and the people behind the legacy that endures and continues to grow, reaching eight-digit audiences daily, and continuing to influence the face of media and entertainment.

WORST TO FIRST is a feature-length documentary that portrays the against-all-odds inspirational story of the launch of the iconic and most successful radio station in history, New York City’s Z100. In 1983, Z100 launched from the swamps of New Jersey, where no artist would venture, and the DJs had to buy their own records just to have music to play on air. Fun, poignant and aspirational, the film features Scott Shannon and several other Hall of Fame radio personalities as well as industry legends like Clive Davis and Elvis Duran. 

Iconic artists who got their start on Z100 such as Jon Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Nile Rodgers, and era superstars, Debbie Gibson and Taylor Dayne all share their personal stories of the importance of the station, their love of radio and passion for performing music. 

Capturing the times, personalities and music of the era, WORST TO FIRST portrays the ultimate David and Goliath story that built the foundation for the world's biggest radio station and the people behind the legacy that endures and continues to grow, reaching eight-digit audiences daily, and continuing to influence the face of media and entertainment.
WORST TO FIRST is a feature-length documentary that portrays the against-all-odds inspirational story of the launch of the iconic and most successful radio station in history, New York City’s Z100. In 1983, Z100 launched from the swamps of New Jersey, where no artist would venture, and the DJs had to buy their own records just to have music to play on air. Fun, poignant and aspirational, the film features Scott Shannon and several other Hall of Fame radio personalities as well as industry legends like Clive Davis and Elvis Duran. Iconic artists who got their start on Z100 such as Jon Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Nile Rodgers, and era superstars, Debbie Gibson and Taylor Dayne all share their personal stories of the importance of the station, their love of radio and passion for performing music. Capturing the times, personalities and music of the era, WORST TO FIRST portrays the ultimate David and Goliath story that built the foundation for the world's biggest radio station and the people behind the legacy that endures and continues to grow, reaching eight-digit audiences daily, and continuing to influence the face of media and entertainment.

MITCHELL STUART is a multiple film festival and Emmy-Award winning filmmaker and storyteller of compelling documentaries, groundbreaking digital series and industry-disrupting brand campaigns. Whether following his heart to tell an inspirational, against all odds story about female freedom fighters in Africa, or honoring his lifelong passion for music and filmmaking, Mitchell tells authentic stories that move and engage an audience.

Known for riveting, thought-provoking visuals and for often composing original music for the soundtracks of his films, he has been honored with 15 NY Emmy-Award Nominations for his music and entertainment documentary series, the Emmy-Award Winning Road to MSG, featuring Jay Z, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, Z100’s Jingle Ball concerts with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, John Mayer, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and more. Dozens of film festivals throughout the world have honored him and his partner, Cheryl Halpern, winning awards for directing, best film, social justice, world peace and humanitarian efforts with their documentaries, Natsanat (Ethiopian for freedom), Fighting to be Free and Remembering Maurits Kiek.

Working closely with the Broadway community, Mitchell spearheaded the documentary-style Tony Award Campaign for Moulin Rouge the Musical resulting in 14 Tony Award nominations. He was also directed a uniquely cinematic short film on the return to Broadway of Phantom of the Opera, and Broadway’s partnership with the MTA, The Only Sure Way to Broadway.

A proud born and bred New Yorker, his natural drive for diving deeper into his research preparation has led to stellar work with a diverse and brilliant who’s who list of musicians and newsmakers including The Who, Rod Stewart, Trevor Noah, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Jon Bon Jovi, Sting and The Foo Fighters in first concert celebrating the return of live music to Madison Square Garden post COVID-19.