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An allegorical look at the current state of police community relations.
I grew up in a family with a lot of police officers, and I earned a degree in Criminal Justice before my life took me down a different career path. I spent 10 years working inside the financial services industry at a fortune 100 company. I've been a part of a few political campaigns, and now I make films and mentor to struggling urban teens. All these experiences have given me a unique perspective on the political, socioeconomic, and hard realities of policing in an increasingly fractionalized society.
In the Wake of the Eric Garner protests and tragic shooting of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, I felt a calling to write a short allegory about the current state of police community relations. The story features; a struggling minority fighting to maintain belief in the "work hard and you'll get ahead" social contract that used to represent the american dream, A cop with his own problems trying to enforce increasingly crappy laws made by increasingly detached lawmakers, and a biracial child representing our shared future. My goal was to not only to highlight the problems but to offer some solutions. Armed with a crew of young student filmmakers and a small budget we filmed "A Broken Trust" over five shooting days (4 hour days) at location we could get for free. There are inaccuracies in the way the policing is represented (Cops do not patrol alone, Are not allowed to wear retro uniforms, etc, etc). Some of this is due to budget constraints and some is poetic license.
I'm proud of the film we were able to construct on a paper thin budget, often with just myself or two people behind the camera, and on aggressive shooting schedules.
Please enjoy this film "A Broken Trust", talk about it, and consider donating to Mythic Bridge if you'd like to see more films of this nature.
Thanks
Michael Tosner
Production details:
Film Budget $1,100
Shot on Sony FS700r with Odyssey 7Q 4K recorder, at locations in Brooklyn and Lynbrook NY
Music & Score By: Lauren Turk
Writing, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Design, VFX & Color By: Michael Tosner
Executive Producers: Gage Cass Woodle Donald Klien
Support Public School Music Education Here: TheNewHistory.com
Help Support Film Based Community Arts By Donating Here: MythicBridge.org
Cast:
Dante - Tunde Sho
Frank- Nick Paglino
Ali- Ali Luminescent
Xena- Xena Cole Nelson
Emily- Jenny Williamson
Grown Xena- Julia Knoth
Vet- Michael Tosner
Frank's Ex- Teresa Clara
Neighbor- Sydney Kay
Shooters- Rony Portillo
Ms E- Sally Lomidze
Crew:
1st ACs- Rony Portillo
& Allen Ferguson
1st ADs- Sally Lomidze
& Mike Holt
PA- Chello Cruz
Makeup By:
Jesse Parks & Odelle Ramos
Special Thanks:
The Lynbrook Diner
Evgeniya Radilova
Daron Duckworth
Marzy Hart
Seanna Sharpe
The Tosner Clan
Mike Holt
Jessica Duclos
Deanna Fleck
Dara Cole
Hit & Run Productions
David Kiss & Chloe Kassnett