Alexander Glustrom

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Alexander Glustrom is an American film director and cinematographer.[1] He has directed award winning films and shot projects for HBO, CNN, New York Times, A&E, Vice, Great Big Story, and Democracy Now.[2] He currently works as a cinematographer on commercials, films and tv shows.

## Early life and education[edit]

Glustrom was born in Midtown Atlanta. His grandparents Marian and John Glustrom were allies in the civil rights movement.[3] He graduated high school from The Paideia School in Atlanta and college from Tulane University in New Orleans. At Tulane, he founded the student organization Tulane University Community Advancement Network (TUCAN)[4] which brought students to The Boys and Girls Club to tutor and learn from the youth participants. After graduating he worked at the Boys & Girls Club located in The Iberville Projects.[4]

## Career[edit]

Glustrom's feature documentary directorial debut Big Charity premiered at the New Orleans Film Festival in 2014 where it won the Audience Award and Jury Prize for Best Louisiana Feature.[5] Mike Scott of NOLA.com declared it as one of the top 5 films made in New Orleans in 2014[6] and described the film as "a stark, pull-no-punches look at the shameful political maneuvering and blatant opportunism that played out in the wake of Hurricane Katrina."[6]

Glustrom's second feature documentary film Mossville: When Great Trees Fall was released in 2019[1] and has won more than 15 awards at festivals around the world.[7] The film premiered at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival where it won The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights.[8] It also won Documentary of the Year from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities[9] and the David Carr Award for Truth in Non-Fiction Filmmaking Award from Montclair Film Festival.[10] Reviewing it for The New York Times, Glenn Kenny wrote: "The film tells the story of a centuries-old black community in Louisiana laid waste by a chemical company, and of the residents who refuse to leave."[1] In The Hollywood Reporter, Frank Scheck described the film as "a powerful portrait of the human cost of environmental devastation."[11]

## Awards[edit]

### Personal awards[edit]

* Filmmaker of the Year at the 2015 New Orleans Millennial Awards[12]
* Gambit Magazine 40 Under 40 2014 Edition[13]

### Big Charity: The Death of Americas Oldest Hospital[edit]

* Jury Award and Audience Award for Louisiana Feature at New Orleans Film Festival[5]
* Documentary of the Year from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities[14]

### Mossville: When Great Trees Fall[edit]

* The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
* David Carr Truth in Non-Fiction Filmmaking Award and Junior Jury Award from Montclair Film Festival.
* Best Documentary Film from Rainier Independent Film Festival
* Best Documentary Film and EcoHero Award from Portland EcoFilm Festival.
* Best International Feature from Toronto’s Planet In Focus.
* Best In Show from Bend Film Festival.
* Best Southern Feature from Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
* Audience Award and Honorable Jury Mention from New Orleans Film Festival.
* Documentary of the Year from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
* Best Feature Film from EFFY Film Festival
* Impact Award from EarthxFilm Festival
* Environmental Grit Award from Indie Grits Film Festival
* Documentary Journalism Award from Salem Film Festival
* Moving Mountains Award from MountainFilm Festival

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c Kenny, Glenn (2020-05-07). "'Mossville: When Great Trees Fall' Review: The Material Toxicity of Racism". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
2. ^ "Alexander Glustrom". Mountainfilm. 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
3. ^ "Glustrom, Alexander - Filmmaker". DCEFF. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
4. ^ a b "Town on the edge". Tulane News. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
5. ^ a b Times-Picayune, Mike Scott, NOLA com | The (5 November 2014). "Charity Hospital doc 'Big Charity' among Audience Award winners at 2014 New Orleans Film Festival". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. ^ a b Times-Picayune, Mike Scott, NOLA com | The (25 December 2014). "The top 10 Hollywood South films of 2014". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. ^ "SouthTalks: "Mossville: When Great Trees Fall"". Center for the Study of Southern Culture. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
8. ^ "April Staff Pick | Mossville: When Great Trees Fall". Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
9. ^ Staff, OffBeat (11 December 2019). "Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities names Terence Blanchard Humanist of the Year". OffBeat Magazine. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
10. ^ Orel, Gwen (17 May 2019). "2019 MFF: Awards and rewards for Montclair Film Festival". Montclair Local News. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
11. ^ Scheck, Frank (2020-05-13). "'Mossville: When Great Trees Fall': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
12. ^ Strachan, Sue (26 July 2015). "Millennial Awards shine spotlight on New Orleans' young achievers". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
13. ^ "Academic Success Center director makes the grade". Tulane News. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
14. ^ "Cokie Roberts Named 2015 Humanist Of The Year". Biz New Orleans. 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2022-07-21.