Ladders
New York, NY, May 6, 2004 -- Flike Productions presents Ladders, a documentary program about artist Yankel Ginzburg, to air on Black Entertainment Television (BET) and BET Jazz on September 26th and 27th, respectively. More than just a study in fine living, Ladders is equal parts biography, lifestyle documentary, and study of the creative process -- from conception to completion. The production features narration by music and film legend Harry Belafonte, and will be scored by John Densmore, of the world famous band “The Doors.”
The subject of Ladders is Yankel Ginzburg, an artist whose paintings and acrylic forms have brought him international fame and a lavish lifestyle. Ladders are a recurring theme in Ginzburg’s art and the word itself is a fitting title for a program that will chart an ascent from a boyhood in Stalinist Eastern Europe to the circles of influence in our nation’s capital; a climb from a wooden shack on the Israeli border with Jordan to Ginzburg’s current home, the former residence of King Hussein.
The film will also follow Ginzburg from inspiration through execution of a painting, detailing the thought process and technique that have created the works of art displayed in museums around the world. Yankel’s paintings have been commissioned by the White House (to be presented to President Boris Yeltsin) and collected by celebrities such as Michael Jordan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The candid documentary will highlight the lively mix at Ginzburg’s dinner table, which, on any night, may seat U.S. Senators, professional athletes, and best selling authors. The real challenge in documenting the life of Yankel Ginzburg lies in choosing which of his global interests to highlight.
The Executive Producer of Ladders and the Executive Vice President & General Manager of BET Jazz & BET Digital Networks, Paxton Baker, has commissioned Liron Unreich and his film production company, Flike, to undertake the task of telling Ginzburg’s story. A graduate of New York University with a BFA in Cinema Studies, Unreich has directed and edited videos for artists Clifford Ross, Charles Lindsay, Starn Twins and Catherine Chalmers. The videos have been featured in galleries around the United States and the world to critical acclaim.
Ladders will air on BET Jazz on September 27th in an hour-long format and on BET September 26th as a half-hour program. The film will also be available in a special DVD edition, and a premier at the prestigious American Film Institute movie theater in Washington DC.