Written by Katelyn Myrick. Photo by Katelyn Myrick.
Jack Huston has an impressive roster of films and series he has been a part of including “House of Gucci,” “The Longest Ride” and “American Hustle.” Having incredible experience within the film industry as an actor only prepared him for his newest and most impressive project, “Day of the Fight.” As the writer, director and producer of the film, SCAD Savannah Film Festival is proud to award him with the Rising Star Director Award. This award recognizes talented filmmakers in the world of directing, spotlighting the incredible work of new directors. Some notable recipients of this award in past years are Maggie Gyllenhaal, Olivia Wilde and JD Dillard. Huston’s film “Day of the Fight” stars Michael Pitt, Ron Pearlman and Joe Pesci and is a beautiful film about the final day before a life-altering fight of a once popular fighter.
From the writing to the cinematography and beyond, this film captivates audiences with perfectly executed dialogue and the nail-biting fight. Filmed entirely without color, the main character, Mikey (Michael Pitt), walks through his life in black and white while trying to bring color back into it.
After the film, Huston spoke in a Q&A where he recounted what it was like to create this impactful film in just twenty days. He spoke about his determination to get this film done on time, how he moved the camera by himself and the importance of trust in the film set. Huston discussed how the cast and crew had to have trust in him and he had to trust them in return. In his eyes, this trust is what made the production run smoothly and successfully. He also told the anecdotal story of how he was able to get the legendary Joe Pesci to join this star-studded cast. Pesci, who is retired, expressed that he was done with acting, but once he read the script and agreed to play the father of Mikey, he was ecstatic to be included.
Finally, Huston gave advice to SCAD students and future filmmakers about what it takes to fulfill your dreams. “Stick with it and it’s all in the timing, nothing else,” he said. He advocated for the next generation of filmmakers, stating that to make their first films the industry needs viewers to go to theaters to enjoy and support the films. He argued that in-person audiences are needed for the future of film to succeed.
It seems that there is no better recipient than Jack Huston, for not only his heart and soul in the film but also his passion for putting the audience on the edge of their seats to find out how the story of a fighter unfolds.
