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Al Sutton

  • Producer
  • Director
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
A haunting, thought-provoking tale of an eccentric, vagabond poet who traverses Manhattan's streets in search of one good reason to continue making art in violent, troubled times. He awakens each morning in his home, a large cardboard box, parked at the base of the steps of the New York Public Library, ready to start the day reciting his poetry to early morning passersby. His quest begins pushing his red wire shopping cart around the city. He regales students, winos, executives and secretaries with his musings about William Saroyan, ecology and even a violin rendition of “Melancholy Baby.” His poems seem strangely whimsical, but before long, we find them entering into a deeper reality. We are reminded that our universe is in danger of self-destructing. And, 'poets can’t make oxygen!' Obsessed by his passion for Russian poetry and the suicide of his idol, Mayakovsky, he reaches out with wit and passion to the hearts of the people he meets on his journeys in his desperate search for life’s meaning until a chance encounter with one of the greatest forces of nature itself helps him to tap the irrepressible spirit of man which changes everything. Originally written as a solo play by Alexander Weiss in one night, as he was the lion keeper at the San Francisco Zoo, it was adapted for the screen by Weiss, and directed by Francesca Rizzo. “Engleström” is laced with an original, sophisticated, jazz score co-composed and arranged by Executive Producer/Actor, Al Sutton and Fernando Hernandez.

(Official Selection)  The Stepping Stone Film Festival, Chennai, India
Play clip0:40
The Poet Englestrom
Filmmaker, Al Sutton, created a movement to end genocide and war; his short film is part of a multi-media theatrical production consisting of live performance, film and music, entitled, "The Most Dangerous Animal." Al Sutton produced and performed the title role in "The Poet Englestrom", an award winning film written by Alexander Weiss for which he won the AOF Film Fest WAB Award for "Best Performance in an Acting Role" at the 2010 Action On Film International Film Festival. He later wrote, produced and played the lead character in the film "Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa". He was a cast member in Madeleine Olnek's short, "Make Room for Phyllis". He is a member of SAG and BAFTA, and has been seen on TV in "Law & Order". As documentary filmmaker, he did "Fraternal Twins: the first year of life". This medical film was widely distributed to universities in the 1980s, when he was a practicing physician. Another award winning documentary, "Equality, I Am Woman", consists of unique archival footage of the Women's Strike for Equality, 1970 NYC March, featuring the music of Helen Reddy and narration by Gloria Steinem and Jacqui Ceballos. Portions of this footage were aired on network TV. He has also done a number of short films, including World Music Independent Film Festival Award Winner "All in a Row", featuring original music by Chris Anderson, and a film in two acts, "Love" and "Marriage," starring the late Jo Henderson and Dan Hedaya. A full length screenplay, "Caballo" in production. On stage, he performed a lead role in "Sing, America: Norman Mailer in his own words" at the Actors Studio. He played in "Bringing the Fishermen Home" by Deb Margolin, at Dixon Place, and at the Public Theatre Play-reading series. As co-founder of the Perfectly Frank Cabaret Theatre, he produced over forty new plays, mostly in downtown New York venues, including Dixon Place, Home for Contemporary Theatre, and Le Poeme. He has also written and performed in a number of his own plays, including, "Woman and Man", "Lifeguard", and "A Little Bumpy", co-written by Dan Hedaya. Al Sutton is a musician, and operates his own record label, "Alsut Records". He has the rights to the archives of the late, great pianist, Chris Anderson.

Education Chicago Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, MD, 1959

Training New School Filmmaking, New York, NY, Filmmaking, Arnold Eagle Warren Robertson Theatre Workshop, New York, NY, Acting, Warren Robertson, Larry Moss 1971-1975.
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Known for

    Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa (2006)
    Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa
    Short
    • Producer
    • 2006
    The Poet Englestrom (2006)
    The Poet Englestrom
    Short
    • Producer
    • 2006
    Love (2010)
    Love
    Short
    • Producer
    • 2010
    In Memorial to the late, great pianist Chris Anderson who performs on the film, and the late Arnold Eagle, consultant.
    All in a Row
    6.5
    Short
    • Producer
    • 2010

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Producer



    • Lot's Wife
      Short
      • producer
      • 2017
    • Eating Out
      Video
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Equality, I Am Woman (2011)
      Equality, I Am Woman
      Video
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2011
    • The Most Dangerous Animal (2011)
      The Most Dangerous Animal
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2011
    • In Memorial to the late, great pianist Chris Anderson who performs on the film, and the late Arnold Eagle, consultant.
      All in a Row
      6.5
      Short
      • producer
      • 2010
    • Equality: Women's Strike for Equality (2010)
      Equality: Women's Strike for Equality
      Short
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2010
    • Love (2010)
      Love
      Short
      • producer
      • 2010
    • Equality (2010)
      Equality
      Short
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2010
    • Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa (2006)
      Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2006
    • The Poet Englestrom (2006)
      The Poet Englestrom
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2006

    Director



    • Lot's Wife
      Short
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Eating Out
      Video
      • Director
      • 2015
    • Equality, I Am Woman (2011)
      Equality, I Am Woman
      Video
      • Director
      • 2011
    • The Most Dangerous Animal (2011)
      The Most Dangerous Animal
      Short
      • Director
      • 2011
    • In Memorial to the late, great pianist Chris Anderson who performs on the film, and the late Arnold Eagle, consultant.
      All in a Row
      6.5
      Short
      • Director
      • 2010
    • Equality: Women's Strike for Equality (2010)
      Equality: Women's Strike for Equality
      Short
      • Director
      • 2010
    • Love (2010)
      Love
      Short
      • Director
      • 2010
    • Equality (2010)
      Equality
      Short
      • Director
      • 2010

    Writer



    • Lot's Wife
      Short
      • writer
      • 2017
    • Eating Out
      Video
      • writer
      • 2015
    • The Most Dangerous Animal (2011)
      The Most Dangerous Animal
      Short
      • writer
      • 2011
    • In Memorial to the late, great pianist Chris Anderson who performs on the film, and the late Arnold Eagle, consultant.
      All in a Row
      6.5
      Short
      • screenplay
      • 2010
    • Love (2010)
      Love
      Short
      • story
      • 2010
    • Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa (2006)
      Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa
      Short
      • story
      • written by
      • 2006

    Videos2

    The Poet Englestrom
    Clip 0:40
    The Poet Englestrom
    Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa - clip
    Clip 1:10
    Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa - clip
    Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa - clip
    Clip 1:10
    Five Valid Reasons for Murdering Lisa - clip

    Personal details

    • Alternative name
      • Alfonso Sutton
    • Other works
      The First Year of Life, a Study of Development ~ Fraternal Twins documentary

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