2022 Filmmaker In Residence
Richard Radutzky and his cousin Sandy are grappling with the blessing and burden of legacy. Their family’s 115-year-old candy company, Joyva, operates out of an ancient and crumbling factory in Brooklyn, where orders are still written with pencil and paper, and workers still mix halvah by hand in copper tubs. As charming and artisanal as this is, sales are flat, and if major change doesn’t arrive soon, Richard and Sandy will have to shut Joyva’s doors. The business has been in their family for four generations, and when Richard’s father Milton passed five years ago, the responsibility of running the company fell squarely onto Richard and Sandy’s shoulders. 10 million jelly rings eaten during Passover each year illustrates how Joyva has become a fixture at the most meaningful experiences in the lives of Jewish Americans. As Richard and Sandy bring Joyva through changes, they risk destroying the sacred role that Joyva’s products play—connecting American Jews with each other and with their ancestors. With each decision they make, they feel pressure to honor what their forebears built, to define their own identities, and to preserve the livelihood of their 50 employees.
Sam Radutzky is an award-winning freelance documentary and commercial filmmaker. His first feature documentary, Do U Want It? screened at 16 film festivals and took home five awards, including Audience Award at New Orleans Film Festival (2017) and SF IndieFest (2018). He’s produced films and video content for over 100 bands, including several Grammy-award winning artists like Arcade Fire, Taj Mahal, Tank and the Bangas and Jon cleary through his production company, ABIS Productions. Some of his commercial clients include Vice Media, Live Nation, Pernod Ricard MSG Networks and Jameson Whiskey. Sam graduated from Northwestern University in 2012 as a Film major with a minor in Business and is currently based in New York City, producing his second feature documentary film. Sam is from Long Island, New York.
Josh Freund is an award-winning filmmaker with a passion for storytelling. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Josh studied documentary filmmaking at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Upon graduating, Josh moved to and fell in love with the city of New Orleans where, along with Sam Radutzky, he created ABIS Productions, a video production company dedicated to creating content for bands and musicians. Since New Orleans, Josh has inundated himself in the documentary scenes of both Brooklyn and Oakland, operating on countless projects and films. In addition to his documentary work, he has built a successful freelance career as a commercial director and cinematographer. Some of his commercial clients include Nike, Mattel, Chevrolet, Google, Rolex, The Smithsonian Institute and the San Francisco Giants. His first feature documentary film, Do U Want It?, screened at 16 film festivals, took home five awards, and wowed audiences across the country.
Project description and bios courtesy of the Resident