17-Year-Old Filmmaker Lance Oppenheim’s “quicksand” to Air Nationally on PBS Network
Weston, FL (PRWEB) October 16, 2013 -- At just 17 years old, South Florida filmmaker Lance Oppenheim has achieved something that many others have only dreamed about.
PBS Network has selected his short film “quicksand” to air as part of its first episode of its new series Local, USA. The film, which depicts the young filmmaker’s aging grandfather’s battle with Alzheimer’s, will air on Oct. 21, 2013 PBS-Dates-Times (See PBS Dates & Times) as part of a nationally televised, 13-week series featuring fascinating stories of diverse people culled by the producers from various sources across the country.
In this extraordinary documentary, Oppenheim weaves together his grandfather’s long-forgotten 8mm film reels with present-day interview footage, chronicling his noble attempt to grapple with the late stages of Alzheimer’s, while desperately struggling to recapture lost and forgotten memories.
“Motivated by my grandfather’s unfulfilled dreams of filmmaking, I decided to piece together a film that he had already unwittingly made,” said Oppenheim, whose grandfather passed away last year. “It was my grandfather’s dream to make films. If he was still here with me today we both would be sharing this surreal moment.”
In South Florida, the program will air on WPBT’s World channel 2.2 and on Comcast channel 202 and on WXEL on Comcast channel 201. See below for a full listing of channels.
A senior at Pine Crest School, Oppenheim directs, produces and edits award-winning short films. His works have been screened at 35 international film festivals and have won awards at 13 festivals, including the Las Vegas Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Another film, “The Dogmatic,” received Best Student Documentary from The Palm Beach International Film Festival and Student Showcase of Films as well as being selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick.
Oppenheim also directed “Open Your Eyes,” the story of Holly Joseph, a fourth grader at Norland Elementary School in Miami, who came to the U.S. from Haiti to escape poverty and the ravages of hunger. The film was selected and posted on the official White House blog.
Oppenheim’s films are co-produced by the Opp-Guide, a nonprofit organization of which he is President. The Opp-Guide connects youth nationwide with service opportunities as part of its ongoing mission to spotlight important social issues. Proceeds from his films are used to continue to support the organization’s ongoing efforts.
About Lance Oppenheim:
Born and raised in South Florida, Lance is a 17-year-old, award-winning filmmaker who directs, produces, and edits short films. A number of Lance's films have been commissioned by various national, non-profit organizations, including frequent collaborator, The Opp-Guide to Community Service. During his summers, Lance has worked for The Weinstein Company and Hasbro/Universal Studios in Los Angeles and has collaborated on various independent projects.
About The Opp-Guide:
Founded in South Florida in 2004, the Opp-Guide helps youth locate service opportunities they find interesting so they can continue to serve their community. In 2011, the Opp-Guide Mobile App was developed and is available for free at the iTunes store. The app allows anyone to search a nationwide directory of nearly 300,000 nearby community service opportunities.
Lance Oppenheim, OppGuide, http://opp-guide.com, 954-384-6114, [email protected]
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