Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short, A Concerto is a Conversation, is a story about America. Directed by Kris Bower and Ben Proudfoot, the film traces the story of Horace Bowers, Kris’ grandfather, who left the Jim Crow south to start his own business and, against considerable odds, make something of himself. Woven into the story is Kris’ own struggle to find his place as a composer in predominantly white spaces. Ultimately A Concerto is a Conversation reveals the power of legacy, resistance, and perseverance.
Followed by a discussion moderated by Nicole Brooks (composer/playwright/filmmaker/vocalist) with the editor of the film Lukas Dong.
In the cultural industries, Nicole Brooks is beyond a triple-threat. Her extensive accomplishments include: filmmaker, diretor, performer, singer, playwright, composer, curator, teacher and ‘art-ivist’. Brooks has devoted over 20 years producing innovative content (for the stage and screen), with a focus on narratives that illuminate the peoples of the African Diaspora. In 2012, Brooks officially added playwright to her list of talents. Her debut theatrical work Obeah Opera - which she created, wrote, composed and performs in - has been staged in various incarnations from festivals to staged workshop productions in Toronto between 2009 and 2014. Honoured with a Dora nomination for Outstanding New Opera/Musical in 2012 and with continued development thereafter, an updated version of Obeah Opera premiered in August 2015, as a prestigious commission from the cultural arm of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games. Its final incarnation mounted in June 2019 as part of the critically acclaimed roaster of the Luminato Festival (Toronto) and was honoured with two additional DORA nominations in 2020 for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Feature Performance.
Growing up in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York City, Lukas first fell in love with filmmaking by observing architectural spaces and finding ways to bring the subtle details to life. As his career developed, he found a natural pull towards design-oriented content and telling the stories of those who go above and beyond for perfection.
Lukas has directed films and interviews with artists, designers, and architects around the world including Bjarke Ingels, Björn Ulvaeus (ABBA), Roy Choi, Kengo Kuma, and many more. Through his branded documentary work he developed a passion for making non-actors feel comfortable being themselves on camera to tell their stories.
Lukas is currently based in Los Angeles, and directs narrative and documentary content for leading brands.
