Local Filmmakers to Screen One-in-a-Billion Documentary at DC Shorts Festival (Press Release)

September 7, 2022

Sept. 5, 2022–Arlington, VA-based filmmakers Steve Dorst and Angie Gentile announced the Washington, DC premiere of their first joint documentary, DANI’S TWINS, at the DC Shorts Film Festival being held from September 8-11.

Their film documents the rare and risky pregnancy of Dani Izzie, one of the few quadriplegics ever to give birth to twins. The story is an entertaining, high-stakes drama, told from Dani’s perspective as she battles the odds to deliver healthy babies and become a mother.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this great festival in our own backyard,” says Director Steve Dorst, who also earned a Cinematographer credit on the film. “I’d encourage people who haven’t been to a festival for a while to come check this one out in person. DC Shorts is giving visibility to great art and marginalized voices.”

When Covid hit, the DANI’S TWINS filmmaking team had to scramble to keep production going. They worked with Izzie, who despite the limitations of her pregnancy and spinal cord injury, was able to film important story beats during her journey-including a race to the hospital when she went into labor.

“Dani filmed her own story under very difficult circumstances,” adds Dorst. “We’re excited to see how audiences connect with Dani, her husband Rudy, and their uncommon journey.”

Angie Gentile, Dorst’s wife, took on the roles of Producer and Impact Producer. “We approached Dani’s story from a perspective of love and beauty, but there’s also a layer of disability justice in there that sheds light on the discrimination parents with disabilities face. It’s our goal to not only entertain but to educate and build inclusion for parents with disabilities.”

The husband-wife team partnered with Co-Director Brad Allgood, known for his feature documentary “Landfill Harmonic,” which garnered over 40 festival wins in 250+ festivals. The Oscar-qualifying film, acquired by HBO, tells the heartwarming story of a youth orchestra in Paraguay that plays instruments made entirely from garbage.

Dorst’s feature documentary “Jobs for G.I.s” documents the struggles vets face when they separate from the military to launch new careers in the civilian world, and was acquired by DirecTV’s The Audience Channel. “Shattered Sky” told the story of how America led the world to solve the biggest environmental crisis ever seen (the ozone crisis) and played on PBS.

DANI’S TWINS was made possible in part through generous contributions from Magnetic Me, a clothing line for babies and moms, and Friendsheep, a fair trade producer of eco-friendly wool dryer balls.

Since its world premiere in May in Telluride, Colorado at Mountainfilm, DANI’S TWINS has been screening at festivals around the country and abroad, and recently garnered the award for “Best Film about Women” at the Toronto International Women Film Festival. On the immediate horizon, the film will also be showcased at the Iowa Independent Film Festival, Sept. 8-10, Pittsburgh ReelAbilities Festival, Sept. 9-11, and Washington West International Film Festival in mid-October.

DC Shorts runs in-person in Washington, DC from September 8-11 and online from September 12-18. DANI’S TWINS will be featured in “Showcase 1: Homegrown!” Tickets can be purchased at: https://2022dcshorts.eventive.org/welcome.

DANI’S TWINS is the premiere release of PERPETUO FILMS, a studio that produces entertaining content for people who give a damn. Our active slate of programming includes DANI’S TWINS; PATROL, the battle to preserve Nicaragua’s rainforest from illegal cattle ranching; and EAT BITTER, the first English-language documentary out of the Central African Republic, capturing the tensions between Chinese migrants and local workers during a civil war. In 2021, our films secured grants and partnered with the biggest global names in nonfiction storytelling: Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the Ford Foundation, the Sundance Institute, Mountainfilm, the European Union, Re:wild, Netflix Ambulante, DOC DEVELOPMENT AFRICA, Durban FilmMart, and others. Perpetuo Films and aims to accelerate the web3 creator economy to amplify filmmaker autonomy, control, and ownership. PERPETUO FILMS: Story | Impact | Web3.

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