ZACH BANDLER

S H O W R E E L

T H E L I G H T K E E P E R

T O R N

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T H E S T A I R S

"Land of the Young" Wins American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition

Zach’s feature screenplay “Land of the Young” has been named winner of the 2023 American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition. Francis Ford Coppola and the American Zoetrope team have selected this story, about caregiving, family and visibility for those with age-related disability, from 2,000 submitted screenplays.

https://www.zoetrope.com/contests/screenplays-2023

"Land of the Young" Wins American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition

Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health

Zach has been named a 2022-23 Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, where he will be developing a feature film about dementia with the Global Brain Health Institute.

David Redd - Do I Seem Okay? (Official Music Video)

Directed by Zach, music video for indie artist David Redd’s debut album premieres online with VEVO.

A great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last.

- John Steinbeck

As a director, Zach's films have won awards and played festivals across the globe. His short "The Lightkeeper" (2018) was named final recipient of the CINE Golden Eagle Award for Narrative Short Film, an award recognizing rising filmmakers since 1962 which has honored the early careers of Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Spike Lee, Taylor Hackford and others. It was also "Best of the Month" on Omeleto, YouTube's largest short film channel with 3.5 million subscribers worldwide. His dark comedy film "Torn" (2019) premiered online with Directors Notes, and his mid-length short film "The Stairs" (2016, directorial debut) is a multi-award winner at festivals including the Audience Award at the Ashland Independent Film Festival.

As a screenwriter, his feature script "Land of the Young" is the winner of the 2023 American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition. His first teleplay "Hollywood and Vine" (2012) was given an industry presentation at the American Film Institute, starring Jason Alexander and Michael Urie, and directed by Independent Spirit Award winner Mark Polish. His screenplays have also been Finalists in the prestigious ScreenCraft Feature Competition, the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards and Cinequest Screenwriting Competition, as well as shortlisted for the ScreenCraft Film Fund.

Zach served as a 2022-23 Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health with the Global Brain Health Institute in Dublin, Ireland, where he developed and now pursues work at the intersection of narrative film and age-related disabilities like dementia. His first film to emerge from this endeavor, “Koko Suzanne”, will shoot in the Democratic Republic of Congo in June 2024. He is also co-first author in the scientific journal Frontiers, publishing a perspective article on the neurobiological benefits of hope.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Theatre from Northwestern University, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Brain Health from Trinity College Dublin.