sundance

Directors and Executive Producers, BRICK CITY

BIO

MARC LEVIN

A pioneer in the art of merging fiction and non-fiction filmmaking, Marc Levin brings narrative and vérité techniques together in his independent films, episodic television and documentaries. He is currently at work on the documentary SCHMATTA: FROM RAGS TO RICHES TO RAGS, a look at New York’s Garment Center that is slated to premiere on HBO in October 2009.

Levin’s dramatic feature film credits include SLAM, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the Camera D'Or at Cannes in 1998. SLAM was the first of a hip-hop narrative trilogy that continued with the dark comedy Whiteboys and the romantic drama Brooklyn Babylon. His feature documentary credits include MR. UNTOUCHABLE, the story of Harlem heroin kingpin Nicky Barnes; PROTOCOLS OF ZION, a street-level look at the resurgence of anti-Semitism since 9/11; TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, an adaptation of Anna Deavere Smith's one-woman play about the Los Angeles riots; and THE LAST PARTY, a look at the 1992 Presidential campaign that starred Robert Downey, Jr. As an executive producer, his feature credits include the recent drama CADILLAC RECORDS.

Levin executive produced the critically acclaimed Showtime series Street Time. He also directed 13 episodes, staring Rob Morrow, Scott Cohen, Erica Alexander and Terrence Howard. He has directed numerous episodes of the classic series, Law and Order as well as the Godfathers and Sons" chapter of the Martin Scorsese-produced PBS series The Blues.

He and his documentary film partner, Daphne Pinkerson, have produced ten films for HBO’s groundbreaking America Undercover series, including "Thug Life In D.C.," winner of the 1999 Emmy Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special; "Gang War: Bangin' In Little Rock," winner of the 1994 CableACE Award for Best Documentary Special; "Mob Stories"; "Prisoners Of The War On Drugs"; "Execution Machine: Texas Death Row"; "Soldiers In The Army Of God"; "Gladiator Days"; and "Back In The Hood," a sequel to "Gang War: Bangin' In Little Rock." They also produced Ivy Meeropol’s acclaimed documentary HEIR TO AN EXECUTION. In 1997, Levin was awarded the prestigious duPont Columbia award for CIA: America's Secret Warriors; a three-part series that aired on the Discovery Channel.

From the mid-70s through the 80s, Levin collaborated with the distinguished journalist Bill Moyers on numerous public television programs, among them THE HOME FRONT, winner of the duPont Columbia Gold Baton Award, and THE SECRET GOVERNMENT: THE CONSTITUTION IN CRISIS, winner of the 1988 National Emmy for News and Documentary. Levin’s PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN ZEALOT is part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent film collection.

MARK BENJAMIN

Since the late 1970s, Mark Benjamin has built his reputation through an allegiance to film and television. As a director, producer and cameraman, Benjamin’s credits include numerous independent films, eight Bill Moyers documentaries, six National Geographic films and films for ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO, TBS, and the Discovery Channel. Benjamin received his first filming assignment in 1973, when he shot in the Sinai Desert for NBC’s coverage of the October war in the Middle East.

Most recently, Benjamin directed the documentary WHY WE FIGHT NOW, produced by Frank Capra, Jr. in association with the U.S. Army Special Forces/Green Berets and inspired by the classic World War II documentary WHY WE FIGHT. He co-directed, produced and photographed the 2000 feature JAILS, HOSPITALS, AND HIP HOP, the film adaptation of Danny Hoch’s acclaimed one-man play. With longtime collaborator Marc Levin, Benjamin co-directed and shot THE LAST PARTY, a 1993 political documentary starring Robert Downey Jr. His 1977 film JERUSALEM PEACE was part of the New Directors series at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Benjamin has lensed several feature films with director Marc Levin, most recently PROTOCOLS OF ZION. Their other collaborations include SLAM, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for best dramatic film at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival and the Camera D’Or at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival; the comedy WHITEBOYS, starring Danny Hoch; BLOWBACK; and the feature BROOKLYN BABYLON. Benjamin was also the cameraman and lighting designer on the 1987 cult classic MONDO NEW YORK, and he has been the second unit cinematographer for noted directors such as Oliver Stone, William Friedkin and Peter Bogdanovich.

Recently Benjamin along with Jamie Lustberg, his documentary partner/wife, directed, produced and shot the television documentaries GOING HOME broadcast on HBO and School’s In for the Disney Channel. Together Benjamin/Lustberg produced and directed numerous Emmy™ award winning films for PBS’s series EGG, the Arts Show, which won a Peabody in 2002. Additionally, Benjamin has shot hundreds of television documentaries, including 10 Emmy™ nominations and Awards. Notable credits include Discovery Channel’s “CIA: America’s Secret Warriors,” winner of a Columbia DuPont Award; HBO’s "Prisoners of the War on Drugs," "Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock," winner of a Cable ACE award for best documentary, "Texas Death Machine," "Thug Life in D.C.," and "Soldiers in the Army of God" and one Martin Scorsese's, The Blues' episode. A Benjamin picture won the CINE Golden Eagle for the National Geographic film THE ATOCHA and received the International Emmy for best documentary series for “A Time of AIDS,” broadcast on the Discovery Channel. In addition, Benjamin has worked extensively as a director/cameraman on numerous award winning national television commercials, and won the International CLIO Award in 1998.