Grants & Awards

About the Film:

In sync with the innovative instincts demonstrated in their first feature 45365, Bill and Turner Ross’ Tchoupitoulas takes the term documentary to mean, primarily, the documenting of an experience—a distinct time and a place and the people that inhabit it. No interviews, no voiceover; just the evocation of an existence and the feelings it conjures. Three young brothers take a secret sunset journey across a river to a pleasure island that’s always been forbidden to them. As such, the narrative conceit of Tchoupitoulas is as timeless as a fairy tale. But through the eyes of our juvenile protagonists, we experience an impressionistic immersion into this beguiling kaleidoscope of dancers, musicians, hustlers, drag queens, and revelers that parade through the lamp-lit streets between Rampart and the river. While the kids can only glance at the glittery surface, the camera follows the melodies that emanate from these corridors to admit us to the cabarets, into the dark alleyways, next to the barflies, behind the curtains, and on the bandstand with the people who make this place their audience, their stage, their home. The Rosses capture the fleeting moments of an enduring experience in one of the world’s most unique cities.

About the Filmmakers:

Bill & Turner Ross (Directors/Producers/Editors) – After a childhood of constant fighting and trying to one-up each other, Bill and Turner Ross now enjoy a fairly good working relationship.  They make small personal projects that they really never show anyone, but that changed with the SXSW premiere of 45365.  Their first documentary feature has gone on to win numerous awards, including the Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction prize, nominations for Editing, Cinematography, and Debut Feature at the Cinema Eye Honors, and the London BFI Grierson Award.  Also working on that project was their youngest brother Alex.  He’s still in school so his participation is infrequent.  He is the best looking of the three.  Bill and Turner just finished shooting another movie project The Muscle’ Rouse with their friend Kyle in Texas.  It is thought that they may submit it to film festivals in 2012.

Michael Gottwald (Executive Producer) – Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Michael graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in Film Studies in 2006, after having assistant directed Benh Zeitlin’s first film egg and directed his own film Frame of Reference. He served as Executive Producer on Court 13’s Glory at Sea in 2007, concurrently working for the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., and in 2008 he worked for Obama for America as a Field Organizer during the primaries, and as a New Media co-director for Ohio during the general Election.  Now residing in beautiful New Orleans, he is a producer for Court 13’s first feature film, Beasts of the Southern Wild, which will premiere in early 2012. He met the Ross brothers in late 2009, and in early 2011 he served as Spanish language production coordinator for them on their third feature film, in a small border town in West Texas.

Josh Penn (Executive Producer) – Josh is currently producing the film Beasts of the Southern Wild with Court 13 with whom he also produced Glory at Sea which won 15 film festival awards. Josh produced a number of music videos including MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” and “Electric Feel.”  He graduated from Earlham College with a degree in Business and Non-Profit Management and has worked both in and out of film in a number of capacities including working for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold’s Leadership PAC, Station Manager of a Public Radio Station and as the Michigan New Media Director for Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential campaign. Josh is also producing Mark Elijah Rosenberg’s Ad Inexplorata.

Dan Janvey (Executive Producer) – Born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Dan’s first movie memory is the line around the block for Batman at Loews 84th Street, and to this day, there is not a sight that makes him happier than a long queue at a movie theater. He began working in the film industry as a house manager for the Wesleyan University film series and continued his professional development as an usher at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center. Tangentially related is his work as a producer of short films including Ray Tintori’s Death to the Tinman and Benh Zeitlin’s epic Glory at Sea. Dan put aside his ushering/producing life to work as a Field Organizer for Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential campaign, in New Bern, North Carolina. Having produced Zeitlin’s first feature film Beasts of the Southern Wild in New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana, Dan resides in New York, where he does work for Mandragora Movies, and is also producing Ad Inexplorata.

Festival & Award Highlights:

SXSW 2012 – World Premiere