Level 34

Sometimes the story preceding the making of a film is just as important as the work itself. The filmmaker behind Level 34, 16-year-old Zach Breder, has a serious heart defect. It was always his dream to make a film, and so his cardiologist got in touch with the Georgia Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, thus taking the first step towards achieving this goal. Various parties were glad to get involved – Pinewood Film Group were producers on the film, students from the local film college made up the crew, and post-production was secured by the Czech firm UPP. If the dream was only the beginning, then the film’s international premiere at KVIFF marks the end of this journey. Level 34 is an adventure story of a boy who boldly sets out to prove that his uncle wasn’t just a crazy drunk as everyone seems to think. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)