Writer / Director, Julian Fort presented his crime-drama film “The Midnighters” at the Dances with Films Independent film festival on June 9, 2017 located at the TCL Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California.
Julian Fort featured this film, because he always wanted to be a filmmaker for many years. An actor friend Leon Russom inspired him. Julian asked Mr. Russom, “If you could play any role what would it be?” He said “It would be a man whose child got into some kind of trouble and I had to help him out”. Well that is when Julian decided to make this film, and feature Leon.
Leon Russom (who plays Victor Lustig) a 73 year old man who has served 35 years in person and when he was released he tries to have a relationship with his son. He then discovers that his son has been involved with dangerous crooks, so he decides to help him. Danny Lustig (played by Gregory Sims) visits his dad after he returns home. Victor has followed his father’s footsteps getting himself involved with Russian gangsters and getting himself in some trouble. Danny Lustig asked his father to get involve in breaking into a bank. Victor Lustig reality kicks in where he has been in prison for 35 years and the world changed around him. He tries to understand life after prison. The one thing he is best at is opening locked bank volts. That is why his son approaches him to help him break into a bank. They really didn’t have a relationship, because Victor left when Danny was very young due to his wife having an affair. At the end, it surprises everyone. Dad and son gets money, and then bonds a relationship after many years.
The Russian gangsters was played by Stuart McLean as Vadik and Costa Ronin as Orion. The film featured a great casts. Along with Russom (known for Prison Break, True Grit), Sims (Real Steel, Grand Theft Auto Vice City), McLean (NCIS, ER) and Ronin (The Americans-TV Series, Gotham), Charles Diekop (Police Woman, The Andy Griffin Show), John Westley (Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad), Eve Mauro (Age of the living dead, Dystopia) and Larry Cedar (Deadwood, American Horror Story) were also included to make this film a success.
From working at a security guard at Paramount Pictures, to becoming a Director / Writer of a drama presentation, is a great accomplishment and goal. To also be selected to have your film being presented at a film festival that many attend is also very humble. Congratulations to Mr. Fort.
About Dances with Films
Dances with Films is an Independent film festival that has been celebrating 20 years of featured films that relied on innovation, talent, creativity and equity on the entertainment industry. They continue to write, direct and produce celebrity movements in film.
