HAKKI RISING, 30min,. USA
Directed by David Larson
An immigrant from Turkey comes to America seeking a better life and after struggling through homelessness, finds success in the world of acrobatic pizza tossing.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I love telling stories of human resilience and capturing people doing what they are passionate about. It makes for compelling storytelling and I was moved by Hakki's story of becoming a successful entrepreneur and his rise through the pizza industry. Once I contacted him and started getting to know him, his positivity seemed so infectious and I felt like I had to bring his story to life.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It took about 8 months from ideation to finishing. The longest parts were pre-production and post-production.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Sharing Pizza

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
A really big hurdle was navigating Hakki's schedule and busy lifestyle. He was incredibly welcoming to us and let us tag along through his day-to-day but he is such a busy guy that pinning him down to do interviews or film certain scenes was challenging. And things around his business change fast so we had to be ready to film at a moments notice.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It was wonderful to see how Hakki's story and personality affected the audience and gave them a sense of hope. Hakki is one of those people that you can't help but smile when you are around him. He radiates positivity and is so incredibly kind and selfless. I worked hard to incorporate that into the film so it was amazing to see the audience reacting to that and having such positive feedback around how his story made them feel.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I think I have always been a storyteller of some kind. My parents would tell you that I loved using my imagination from an early age and would often come up with fantastical stories to tell them around the dinner table. Once I began entering the job world, I started doing photography and journalism and realized that to tell deep meaningful stories, I would have to move toward long-format filmmaking. Ever since that realization, I've never looked back.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Oh man...this is a tough question. I've probably watched The Lord of the Rings series dozens of times or more.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I think you guys do a great job of sharing the filmmaker's experience and bringing them closer to the audience which is really nice. I love the audience's feedback and the opportunity to hear their reactions to the film.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Submitting through Film Freeway was incredibly easy once I got all the information in about Hakki Rising. I think they make it simple to navigate the festival world and submit quickly and effortlessly.

10. What is your favorite meal?
I love tacos of all kinds. Give me a soft corn tortilla and delicious fillings and I am in heaven.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I'm currently working on a film about slam poetry and we are in post-production right now. Hoping to have something completed by the end of 2023.