BIOGRAPHIES  OF FILMMAKERS

DEBORAH SHAFFER began making documentaries during the anti-Vietnam War movement, as a member of the Newsreel Collective. In 1979 she made the labor history documentary THE WOBBLIES (NY Film Festival). During the 80's, Shaffer focused on war and human rights in Latin America, directing NICARAGUA: REPORT FROM THE FRONT; WITNESS TO WAR (Academy Award); FIRE FROM THE MOUNTAIN (NY and Sundance); and DANCE OF HOPE (Prix d'Or, FIPA, Cannes and Sundance). Shaffer was one of the first filmmakers to work in post-Sept. 11 New York City. FROM THE ASHES - 10 ARTISTS (Sundance, Tribeca) captures the impact the attacks had on 10 downtown NY artists, followed a year later by FROM THE ASHES - EPILOGUE.

In addition to her work as a director of independent documentaries, Ms. Shaffer has worked extensively as an editor, and has directed numerous programs for public television. She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts. She is a founding member of First Run Features, and a member of AIVF, NYWFT, and WGA. 

MICHAEL JULIAN BERZ, CO-DIRECTOR
Born in Canada, raised in Germany and Austria, MICHAEL JULIAN BERZ studied journalism before working for Austrian television. He moved to NY in August 2001 to cover the arts and culture; on Sept. 11 he began filming what became FROM THE ASHES - 10 ARTISTS (Sundance, Tribeca). He co-directed FROM THE ASHES - EPILOGUE while continuing to produce and shoot cultural and documentary programs for Austrian and German television.