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Norwalk Filmmaker Brings Vision To Life With Short Film

NORWALK, Conn. – Norwalk native Alex Morsanutto grew up idolizing the works of directors Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock and Ridley Scott. Now the 23-year-old filmmaker has completed work on a new short film and has his eyes set on the future.

Alex Morsanutto (far right) of Norwalk directing a commercial with his production company, Silvermine Productions.

Alex Morsanutto (far right) of Norwalk directing a commercial with his production company, Silvermine Productions.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Alex Morsanutto

Morsanutto wrote, directed, produced and edited the 19-minute short film “Little Lion,” which was shot in Norwalk and Bridgeport last year and released online Monday. It tells the story of a young man set on a path of revenge while reliving memories of his abusive childhood.

“I wanted to make something dark,” Morsanutto said. Influenced by the works of Christopher Nolan, he sought to create a dark film that hooked the viewer’s attention from the beginning and took them through a story with a memorable style and twists. He also wanted to address the issues of domestic violence in his work.

“Domestic violence has interested me as a story for a while,” he said. “I’ve known people affected by it, and I think it has an interesting dynamic, how there can be love in a household but also the possibility for evil.”

Morsanutto began writing “Little Lion” while a freshman at SUNY Purchase College, and continued working on it after transferring to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to launching the film online, he also hopes to show the film at festivals, and eventually develop it as a full-length feature film. He is also working on new short film projects, including one which he describes as having a “happy-go-lucky 70s theme.”

“It’s a huge contrast to what I just made,” he said. He hopes that his film career can cover a range of styles and tones and produce a diverse body of work.

In addition to working on short films, Morsanutto also launched his own production company, Silvermine Productions, in 2012. The creative agency produces films, commercials, music videos and photography for clients, covering the entire creative process from conception of ideas through post-production.

“I love storytelling. My favorite part of the process is writing,” Morsanutto said. “Ever since I can remember I’ve wanted to be an entertainer and work in the movie business. To be able to do that with my own production company, it’s a dream come true.”

“Little Lion” was funded through the help of Kickstarter, where Morsanutto was able to raise about $8,000. He said is extremely appreciative of the support of his donors, and wanted to show them the results of their generosity. He also said that he hopes to continue filming in the Fairfield County area and use the place where he grew up as the background for his films.

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