Michael's World

Producer and Director Michael Gleissner is a distinctive voice in today's entertainment world. Founder of Bigfoot Entertainment and the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) in Cebu, Philippines, Gleissner has been producing and directing breakthrough films and making his mark on the international film scene since 2002.

Gleissner made his directorial debut in 2005 with Irreversi, starring Mei Melançon, Ian Bohen, Kenny Doughty and Estella Warren. Shot in both English and Mandarin with two separate casts and crews, Irreversi explores new boundaries in depicting language and culture on film. Rather than merely dubbing or subtitling Irreversi, Gleissner sought to best serve the Chinese community by creating a Chinese reflection of Irreversi with the Mandarin version, Hui Lu, starring Margaret Wang, Hawick Hau-Wai Lau, Sasha Hou, Qin Hao. Both films are set for release in 2009.

Prior to Irreversi, Gleissner produced several acclaimed television shows and feature films. He served as co-executive producer of the 2002 film The Dogwalker, which was awarded Best First Feature at the Cinequest Film Fest. In 2005, Gleissner also executive-produced the feature film 3 Needles, a unique look on the worldwide AIDS crisis from three distinct points of view starring Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh and Chloe Sevigny. 3 Needles opened in several major US cities in December 2006 in conjunction with World AIDS Day, and has since gone on to receive critical recognition. That year, Gleissner also produced the TV Series Nautical Angels, set aboard a luxury yacht captained by three beautiful women that docked at various exotic ports around the world.

Gleissner continued executive producing in 2006 with USS Cooper: Return to Ormoc Bay, the romantic comedy Falling For Grace, and the award-winning comedy The Curiosity of Chance. USS Cooper: Return to Ormoc Bay documents Rob Lalumiere's record-breaking 193-meter dive to place a memorial plaque on a battleship that was torpedoed during World War II. In Falling for Grace, Chinese-American Grace, played by Fay Ann Lee, is mistaken for a Hong Kong heiress at a high-society event, where she meets her Prince Charming. The teen comedy The Curiosity of Chance has earned several awards, including Best New Director at the 2006 Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Fest and Best of the Fest at the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival.

In 2007, Gleissner served as executive producer on the feature film Shanghai Kiss, the dual-language Irreversi/Hui Lu, and the supernatural thriller Within.

Gleissner has just completed his third directing venture, the action thriller Deep Gold. Set in Cebu, Philippines and underscoring Gleissner’s interest in creating multi-cultural films, Deep Gold features Vietnamese actress Bebe Pham, Singaporean actress and television host Jaymee Ong, and Amercian actress Laury Prudent. Deep Gold is scheduled for international release later this year.