The life of acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman is examined in Director Alison Chernick’s documentary, Itzhak. The film reveals how Perlman went from the polio survivor whose parents emigrated from Poland to Israel, and the young man who struggled to be taken seriously as a music student when schools saw only his disability, to the world-renowned and cherished virtuoso he is today.
Following the DGA Special Projects Documentary Series screening in Los Angeles on October 11, Chernick sat down with Director Robert B. Weide (Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time) to discuss the making of Itzhak, which premiered at the 2017 Hamptons International Film Festival and won Jury Prizes at the 2018 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and 2018 Miami Jewish Film Festival. Chernick also discussed the making of the film with Director Lee David Hirsch (Bully) following the DGA Eastern Region Special Projects Documentary Series screening in New York on November 1.
In addition to Itzhak, Chernick’s other credits include the documentary features The Jeff Koons Show and Matthew Barney: No Restraint. Currently working on her narrative feature film debut, Chernick has been a DGA member since 2016.
You can listen to Chernick's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.