Emmy-Award winning Actor and Producer Vincent De Paul supported independent filmmakers, arts education and his Sundance 2020 film, “Tesla” starring Ethan Hawke, during three event interviews last weekend in Park City, Utah. Vincent has been going to the Sundance Film Festival for over a decade, and was excited to be part of one of the 128 films selected this year.
During an interview at the Instant Karma Lounge/ The Cabin on Main Street with Tony Toscano, Executive Producer of Talking Pictures, Vincent shared, “They’re so many great people here, and the energy for supporting emerging filmmakers in the industry is huge.”
De Paul continued by sharing an overview of his Sundance 2020 award-winning film “Tesla” by explaining that it stars Ethan Hawke and was directed by Michael Almereyda. He added, “It is a great journey of how Tesla (Ethan Hawke) interacted with George Westinghouse (Jim Gaffigan) and also his interaction with Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlin, “Twin Peaks”). And also J.P. Morgan who was pretty much the founder of Chase bank. And so J.P. Morgan was very influential in Tesla’s life.”
Later that day, Vincent spoke on the Indie Entertainment Showcase panel at 710 Bodega with fellow panelists Ali M. Aksu (international filmmaker from Turkey, “Laid in America”), Renee Meriste (entertainment industry expert, Author “You Are The Influencer”) and Tracy Vicory-Rosenquest (writer, filmmaker, entrepreneur, “The Latin Rose”); Moderated by Sue Vicory (Telly Award-winning filmmaker) about the industry and trends.
During this panel, De Paul expanded more about the ‘Tesla’ film story. He added, “Nikola Tesla was an amazing scientist, and his work with concurrent energy ACDC, and his interaction with Thomas Edison, J.P. Morgan, and J.P. Morgan’s daughter Anne as well as George Westinghouse are in the film. I play George Westinghouse’s protégé in the movie where I introduce Tesla, Ethan Hawke, to George Westinghouse during the World’s Fair.”
Photo: Michel Loccisano/ Getty Images
De Paul continued, “The story is told a lot, but this is the first time you really get to understand about the struggles between Edison and Tesla in the movie…And we’re just happy that it will be showcased for the first time worldwide here at Sundance where Robert Redford has given so much opportunity to so many great filmmakers. I’m happy to be a very small part of it.”
And then later that evening, Vincent supported The Creative Coalition’s Young Hollywood Initiative Kick-off. Vincent interviewed Actor Sam Daly (“The Office”) about this new effort to get more young people involved in the great work of this non-profit. The Creative Coalition’s #RightToBearArts campaign engages artists in efforts to protect the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts). And inbetween a lot of laughs, Vincent and Sam had a very serious message about why it’s so important to keep arts in schools all over the U.S. and inspire films to be made like “Tesla.”
Congratulations to Vincent De Paul and to the entire “Tesla” team. Their movie received the Alfred P Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize today (February 1, 2020). Director/Writer Michael Almereyda’s “Tesla” was formally presented with a $20,000 check. The awards were presented at an afternoon cocktail reception at High West Distillery. These activities are part of the Sundance Institute’s Science-In-Film Initiative, which is made possible by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
And to learn more about “Tesla”, watch our red carpet interviews on Red Carpet Report or YouTube from their worldwide premiere at The Library Center Theatre.
