Choke Hold
United States, 18 mins
A backyard wrestler dreams of going pro. To achieve that dream, he’s forced to make tough decisions about what’s he’s willing to sacrifice to stay in the ring.
Writer/Director: Max McGillivray
Producer: Patrick Kelly Nichols
Director of Photography: Ariano Trevino Angelone
Editor: Sushant Chaudhary
Composer: Daniel Slatkin
Cast: Justin McEneny, Isaiah Leaks
Contact: Max McGillivray, mrm2253@columbia.edu
Program G
Sunday, May 14th at 5pm ET
About the Writer/Director
Max McGillivray is a Los Angeles-based, Massachusetts-born writer/director/producer working in both comedy and drama. Max is currently producing an animated comedy for Seth McFarlane’s Fuzzy Door Productions and MGM. He is also writing an action-comedy for Helium Entertainment with Andrew Jay Cohen (Neighbors). Before moving to Los Angeles, Max studied history and documentary film at Harvard and earned his MFA in directing from Columbia University, where he also taught undergraduate filmmaking. Max got his start as an historical researcher for Errol Morris, James Schamus, Caryn Capotosto and Athina Tsangari, becoming engrossed in stories of American history and the American dream. Max’s films are recipients of awards from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Indian Paintbrush, Panavision, and Columbia University.
About the Producer
Patrick Nichols is a film producer and editor living in New York City where he received his MFA in Creative Producing at Columbia University. He recently finished principal photography as a producer on his first feature film, Face of the Earth. Patrick has produced several short films, including Inoculation, which premiered at the 2020 RiverRun International Film Festival, and Good Dog, which premiered at the 2022 Yonkers Film Festival. Three other short films he has produced, Choke Hold, Palm Sunday, and Wednesday Night, Fremantle, will be released in 2023. Patrick was a recipient of the 2021 Michael Hausman/Filmhaus Foundation Award.