KISLEVITZ FILMS INC is A LOS ANGELES BASED creative studio helmed by Zachary Luke Kislevitz, ACCLAIMED independent producer behind Martin Scorsese-BACKED CANNES drama PORT AUTHORITY.
During its world premiere in competition at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival PORT AUTHORITY made history as the first to feature a trans woman of color in a leading role and received nominations for Certain Regard, Golden Camera, and Queer Palm.
Starring FX POSE newcomer Leyna Bloom opposite DUNKIRK breakout Fionn Whitehead, the NYC-set title was the first picture ever financed by global streamer MUBI, in partnership with RT Features (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME) and Rhea Films (GOOD TIME) – it was later released by Momentum Pictures, nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, and is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Kislevitz recently consulted on the 2024 Sundance Award-winning documentary DAUGHTERS (Netflix) and produced the 2023 HBO Max documentary BAMA RUSH for VICE Studios featuring INTRODUCING, SELMA BLAIR director Rachel Fleit’s personal coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the viral hashtag phenomenon. Following over 2 billion #bamarush views on TikTok, the highly anticipated doc has been ranked the “#1 Most Watched” on Max to date.
In 2021, the company produced the Sundance Award-winning documentary CUSP with Chris Columbus that was acquired by Showtime for worldwide distribution. Now streaming on Paramount+ the Sundance doc was nominated for IDA, Cinema Eye Honors, and ASC Awards – and was official selection at AFI Docs, Camden, Doc Stories SFFilm, DocNYC, IDFA, and Champs-Élysées, where it won the Jury Prize for Best American Independent Feature Film.
Following its critically acclaimed release, the company has been in development on the scripted series adaptation of CUSP in partnership with Marielle Heller's Defiant by Nature; Heller and Kislevitz will executive produce through their respective banners with showrunner Amy Talkington (LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE).
The year prior, the company produced the 2020 Sundance and SXSW Special Jury Award-winning animated short doc THE SHAWL and has been in development on the scripted series adaptation in partnership with Fox Entertainment Studio, Bento Box (BOB’S BURGERS); Kislevitz will executive produce through his banner with showrunner Eliot Glazer (BROAD CITY).
Previously, Kislevitz served on the producing teams of Amazon DEAD RINGERS director Lauren Wolkstein’s SXSW Special Jury Award-winning feature debut THE STRANGE ONES executive produced by Anne Carey of Archer Gray, and the AMC Shudder eco-horror THE BEACH HOUSE that premiered at Sitges, the prestige genre festival in Spain, among other entertainment and Fortune 500 brand projects – including LOVE starring Susan Sarandon from the director of 2023 Tribeca doc, SONGS ABOUT FUCKING, James Gallagher, and SNOW from Berlin and TIFF Award-winning director, Alex Murawski.
As a queer producer led company, dedicated to championing projects by fellow marginalized talent - female filmmakers, creators of color, and artists of all abilities - the company is in active development on a diverse slate across film, television, documentary, premium unscripted, and new media projects. Kislevitz is a member of Producers Union, Documentary Producers Alliance, and represented by William Morris Endeavor.