Meet James Egan of Wild At Heart Films in West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Egan.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Having grown up in a Southern conservative family, I always had to hide what I really believed in order to survive. From an early age, I was inspired by those who spoke out at the risk of losing everything, even their life. People like Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. These are the kinds of stories I wanted to tell when I was given the chance to produce for Participant Media. My first project was “Angels In the Dust,” about the AIDS epidemic in Africa and the couple who defied the government’s claim that beet juice and garlic cured AIDS. It won the Amnesty International VARA Award for social justice.

My next produced project was a docudrama titled “American Primitive.” It’s the true story about director Gwen Wynn’s life growing up with two gay Dad’s and the prejudice she faced in a small town. Then I Executive Produced, Sundance Documentary Selection, “Kimjongila”, which focused on the heroic survivors of the labor camps in North Korea, directed by NC Heikin. I reteamed with NC, producing “Sound of Redemption” about the life of jazz artist, Frank Morgan, who survived thirty-five years in San Quentin prison to go on to become a legendary bebop saxophonists.

“Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins” premiered in Sundance 2019 and SXSW, where it won the Audience Award. It was distributed in theaters nationally by Magnolia to rave reviews. Molly Ivins was a courageous journalist who spoke truth to power even while receiving death threats. Most recently, I producer “The Defector”, about Victor Kravchenko who wrote a book that exposed the atrocities that Russia has committed against the Ukrainian people. It is directed by three-time Oscar-winning director, Mark Harris.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Being gay and a progressive in a Southern conservative family made speaking up sometimes a life death matter. Where I grew up, they used the N word and F word to describe blacks and gays. At nineteen, I was arrested for blocking the road in front of a military base in Massachusetts to protest the war in Vietnam. And I have never stop standing up for human rights and social change since I was released from that jail. There are always challenges and obstacles if you believe in justice and equality for all. My films have been an important platform for those who are making a difference. I have heard over and over again how these films have given people courage to speak up and take action. Which has inspired me to face the next obstacles that try to prevent the truth from being revealed.

Please tell us about Wild At Heart Films.
Companies are people and it is the people that make companies great. Wild At Heart Films has a reputation for making films that make a difference both locally and worldwide. Over half of the films produced by Wild At Heart Films have been directed by women and on one project the entire crew was women. This is a revolutionary statement where less than 3% of Hollywood films are helmed by women. Wild of Heart Films’ documentary “Angels In The Dust” helped bring universal awareness of the AIDs crisis in Africa and its impact on children. “Kimjongilia” our documentary on children in death camps in North Korean has influenced international human rights policy. We are proud of all of our projects because we have seen how each one of them has helped uplift and inspire people worldwide to act on the issues presented in our films.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. But I do believe in passion & grace. Our most recent documentary “Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins was released nationally by Magnolia Films (RGB) last year to critical and financial success. It took us seven years to raise the money and complete the filming and editing. Many times we almost gave up along the way. But when we submitted it to Sundance 2019, it was the perfect time. The entire nation was focused on freedom of the press and the 1st Amendment and our film spoke directly to these issues.

Contact Info:

• Website: Wildatheartfilms.us
• Email: [email protected]

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