The Crew

Peter Cohn – director, producer

Cohn is a New York-based writer and film maker. His previous documentary, “Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America” (2010), follows a mother of three as she moves from a domestic violence shelter to a new life, and at the same time explores how society’s response to gender violence has evolved in recent decades. The film is being used in hundreds of universities and domestic violence organizations . “Golden Venture,” a film about the Chinese immigrants aboard the ill-fated freighter Golden Venture, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006. The film also screened at the Amnesty International Film Festival and other festivals. Cohn’s documentaries are widely seen by educators and students — they are distributed extensively through Cohn’s Hillcrest Films distribution company and through New Day Films, both on DVD and via streaming.

He produced, co-wrote and directed “Drunks,” a groundbreaking film set in a Manhattan Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, starring Richard Lewis, Faye Dunaway, Dianne Wiest, Parker Posey and Spalding Gray. “Drunks” was shown at Sundance in 1996, premiered on Showtime and was released in 1997 to widespread critical acclaim. The New York Times called it “superbly realized.” “Drunks” won the motion picture industry’s Prism Award for 1997, in recognition of the film’s realistic depiction of alcohol and drug addiction. “Drunks” is being re-released this year, both from major streaming outlets and on DVD.

He has written screenplays for Fox, Disney, MGM and a wide range of US and European independent producers. He began his writing career as a journalist, first at the Richmond Times Dispatch and then at the Hartford Courant. In the eighties, he was a somewhat prolific editor and creator of humor publications, including the Wall Street Journal parody “Off the Wall Street Journal” and a satire of the Reagan administration, “The Reagan Report.” He is a graduate of the University of Chicago, where he was editor of the student newspaper, The Chicago Maroon.

Tal Pesses – Director of Photography

Jerusalem-based Tal Pesses is a recent graduate of the Sam Spiegel Film School in Jerusalem. He has shot three documentary features and directed three short films of his own. He is also a graduate of Hebrew University, Jerusalem

Alon Tuval – Line Producer

Jerusalem-based Alon Tuval has produced for television news, feature films and documentaries. He has worked with The Boston Globe and the BBC and other international news organizations. His feature film credits include working as an Israeli line producer for “Bruno.”

David Cohen – Editor

David Cohen is an editor and filmmaker based in New York City. His short and long form work has premiered in the New York Times (Op Docs), The Nation, film festivals (SXSW, New Directors/New Films) and PBS’ Independent Lens.

Babak Rassi – Editor, Associate Producer

Babak Rassi is professor of film at the City College of New York. His credits include “My Best Day” (Sundance, 2012), “Searching for Paladin,” and t