On Monday night at 8pm, be sure to tune in for our newest episode of Hope Saves the Day on Autism Radio .Tonight's shows Guest will be with Director and Writer of The Story Of Luke Alonso Mayo.
Alonso Mayo spent his childhood traveling back and forth between Lima, Peru and Lawrence, Kansas, spending 6 months at a time in each country. He studied film & journalism in the University of Lima, and after a few years of shooting institutionals for mining and gas companies in remote areas of Peru, he directed the short film “Silencio” (2002), which landed him a spot at the American Film Institute’s Directing Program.
His AFI thesis film, “Wednesday Afternoon”, participated in dozens of international film festivals and won a Student Academy Award. He participated in the 2005 Tribeca All Access Connects program and in the 2007 Film Independent Directors Workshop. In 2008 he directed “Viva La Causa”, a documentary about the early days of Cesar Chavez’s farm worker movement that was short listed for the 2009 Documentary Short Subject Academy Awards. In 2010 he directed the unscripted web drama “Untitled Fiction Project”.
Alonso teaches screenwriting & directing at New York Film Academy, Universal Studios Campus. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and sons.
“The Story of Luke” is his first feature film.
95min. A comedy about Luke, a young man with autism who embarks on a quest for a job and a girlfriend. Starring Lou Taylor Pucci, Seth Green, Cary Elwes and Kristin Bauer. Written and Directed by Alonso Mayo, based on his experiences at Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú, as seen in his research documentary “Just Like Anyone“. Winner of Best Film at Irvine International Film Festival & San Diego Film Festival, and Audience Awards at Fort Lauderdale Film Festival & Bahamas International Film Festival.
Luke, 25, is autistic and lives a sheltered life with his grandparents. But his world is suddenly turned upside down when his grandmother dies and he is forced to live with his dysfunctional relatives who have no patience for him or his senile grandfather, who they quickly force into a nursing home. Luke is left with his grandfather’s final semi-coherent words: “Get a job. Find a girl. Live your own life. Be a man!” For the first time in his life, Luke has a mission. He is about to embark on a quest.
Winner Best Film, 2012 San Diego Film Festival
*** Winner Best Film, Best Actor & Best Director, 2013 Irvine International Film Festival
*** Winner Best Film, 2013 Festivus Film Festival
*** Winner Audience Award, 2013 SF Indiefest
*** Winner Audience Award, 2012 Fort Lauderdale Film Festival
*** Winner Audience Award, 2012 Bahamas International Film Festival
Release Date: April 5th, 2013
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Cast: Lou Taylor Pucci, Seth Green, Cary Elwes, Kristin Bauer
Director/Writer: Alonso Mayo