A Word from Mark Rusciano
Director of "JEDI IN AMERICA"

I have been an independent filmmaker for almost 11 years now, and Jedi In America marks the 11th short film I've made under Rusciano Pictures. I began writing this story on the plane ride home from Comicon 2003, where I won the Skywalker Sound Award for my film Carbonite at the 2003 Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards. My intention was to write a story that represented a love letter to Lucasfilm and Atomfilms, showing the SWFFA trophy as the tour de force of the film. Although the script went through a lot of rewrites and the story through many changes, my message stayed intact: to follow the journeys of two little droids (even if they are stuck on an inanimate object!) and the chain of events that ended with inspiring a young individual who seemed a little lost about her place in the universe. Sound familiar?

I wanted to make the inanimate, animate... the powerless, powerful. And above all, show everyday people (Jedi or not!) realizing that they too can make a difference, and that ultimately we all control our own destiny.

My cast and crew really went all out with their devotion to this film, and I thank TFN for recognizing our little labor of love.

Mark Rusciano

Director, Jedi in America