Today we’d like to introduce you to Ari Gold.
Ari, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My father’s a novelist, so I think I inherited a desire to tell stories – about friendship, love, and trees and water. Getting in touch with your heart. I realized I liked being around people and not just a typewriter, so after writing a lot as a kid, I began to realize I wanted to make movies (though now maybe I could use some alone time!)
It took years, being outside the system, to start figuring out how I could possibly make a film. Finally, I did start making short films and writing screenplays, and when the shorts got invited to Sundance, I gained the confidence to devote myself to my craft. It’s taken a lot of soul-searching to understand the big Why – there are so many stories being told now; I now know very well why I’m doing it, and that’s what keeps me from quitting when the business is so challenging. Now, with my second feature, “The Song of Sway Lake,” coming out at Laemmle’s Music Hall on September 21, I feel a renewed energy to bring heart-centered storytelling into the world.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My first feature, “Adventures of Power,” is now gaining traction as a cult film, with fan mail coming in more and more. The film is a bizarre comedy that was ahead of its time, using air-drumming to tell a crazy story about America’s challenges. It covers everything from immigration to unemployment to racism, all within the framework of a kind of Buddhist spiritual comedy. With rock music.
But: when it premiered at Sundance, it was widely attacked as a failed comedy, and I lost my agent and all my job prospects overnight. It took me quite a few years to recover enough to get my second film off the ground. I’ve learned a lot about how to find my deep reason for telling stories, and how important it is to connect with that.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Grack Films – what should we know?
Grack Films is now producing my own films as well as, so far, several pro bono films for causes we believe in (AriGoldFilms.com/service is a sample), and documentaries like The Candy Store, about a notorious, wonderful Iranian immigrant shop owner in New York City. There is a directive to make movies that can open people’s hearts – we want to be part of a rebirth of feeling in the world. Otherwise, there are much easier ways to make a living than this!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
The death of my mother when I was 21 sent me spinning in a million directions, but memories of her guidance have influenced me greatly, even to a current mentorship.
Alejandro Jodorowsky, the great surrealist filmmaker and graphic novel pioneer (this doesn’t really describe him), has given me spiritual advice that’s leading to a new film about my mother, and life, and death. A tease of my film will be in his new film, “Psychomagic, An Art that Heals.”
I try to guide younger filmmakers too because I remember how much I wanted (and couldn’t find) mentors when I started out.
Contact Info:
- Website: AriGoldFilms.com
- Instagram: @AriGold
- Facebook: @AriGoldFilms
- Twitter: @AriGold
Image Credit:
AriGoldFilms.com
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
