42 Grams is an intimate portrait of how chef Jake Bickelhaupt evolved from running an illegal restaurant out of his home to being a culinary celebrity in less than a year and the toll it takes on his personal life.

Interview with Writer/Director Jack C. Newell

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I wanted to make a film that was the portrait of an artist - something that put the audience in the experience of working at one of the great restaurants on the world at an incredible time in it's history. I’ve always thought of this film as a “submarine movie” – at the beginning you enter into the vessel and just go deeper and deeper and deeper. You’re trapped in this environment with these two people for close to two years. Jake refers to the restaurant, which is in the same building they live in, as a prison. His obsession is another one as well – a prison for him and his wife.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

If you love food culture and food movies, it's right up your alley - that's an easy one. But its' a great film for you even if you don't really care about either of those or you're tired of that genre of documentary. It's an intimate portrait of a man obsessed and his wife who is there with him the whole time. It's an exciting story of an unbelievable thing that happens to these people. It's a story of the American Dream and of people who have a dream and will stop at nothing to realize it.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

It's a film about the American Dream, and the true costs associated with that. They get what they want, but it costs them dearly. The film is about people striving for a dream, and having their dream come true - it's incredibly inspirational and heart wrenching at the same time.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Documentary so N/A on the script - In all films you're in a process of discovery, but with documentary it's a bit more pronounced. In features you just live under the (false) idea that you know what your film is because you have a script, etc. where documentary that's less the case.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People really respond to the film. Just left Bend Film Festival where we had a 45 minute Q+A with a theater full of people who were affected by the film. The film is a bit of a roller coaster ride for the viewers and emotionally, really makes you care about Jake and Alexa. It's exciting, fun, infuriating, terrible, funny, amazing all in one.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Journalists ahead of our Nov 17 iTunes release and Santa Fe Independent Film Festival screening!

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I'm not an activist filmmaker, so there's no social change I'm advocating for in this film. I think that art in general and film more specifically is a very powerful way to bring people together, to make the world a smaller place - and know that there's more that unites us than divides us. I want this film to affect the individual, to be taken on an incredible emotional journey with complex characters and reflect on how that mirrors or challenges their own experience.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Is the American Dream dead? Was it ever a thing? What happens when you have your dream come true? What then?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am in post-production on a documentary series titled How to Build a School in Haiti (www.haitischooldoc.com) about the construction of a single elementary school in rural Haiti - using this single aid project to have a larger conversation about international economic development. I'm also currently fundraising for my next fiction film, Monuments - about a man who steals his wife's ashes from her family to scatter them where she wanted to be put to rest.

Interview: October 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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42 Grams

Length: 82 min

Director: Jack C. Newell

Producer: Declan Ryan, John Michaels

Writer: Jack C. Newell

About the writer, director and producer:

Jack C. Newell is an award-winning filmmaker and public artist whose work has been experienced worldwide.

His feature length documentary, 42 Grams, about the restaurant of the same name will be released in late 2017. He is in post-production on the documentary series, How to Build a School in Haiti, that focuses on the construction of a single elementary school in rural Haiti to try to understand how we can win the fight against global poverty.

His previous narrative feature films are Hope Springs Eternal, Open Tables and Close Quarters. He is in development and pre-production on a number of other projects.

Jack is the Program Director of The Harold Ramis Film School at The Second City, the co-creator of Destroy Your Art, and the co-creator of the public art project, The Wabash Lights.

Key cast: Jake Bickelhaupt, Alexa Welsh (doc subjects)

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Journalists.

Social media handles: @jackcnewell

Facebook: www.facebook.com/42gramsfilm

Twitter: @jackcnewell

Instagram: @jackcnewell

Website: www.42gramsfilm.com

Where will the film screen in the next month?

Santa Fe Independent Film Festival

Devour! Food Film Fest

Austin Film Festival

Lone Star Film Festival

ET Cultura

Anchorage International Film Festival

ITUNES RELEASE NOV 17!!!!