Morgan Pehme
Encyclopedia
Morgan Pehme is an American filmmaker, writer, and producer.
The son of journalist Kalev Pehme, Pehme has been involved in film since he was a child. As a former United States National Scholastic Chess Champion (1993 National Junior High School Championship), he was one of the subjects of director Lynn Hamrick’s 1996 documentary Chess Kids, as well as Hamrick’s 2011 30-minute follow to her original film.
Pehme attended The Dalton School
in Manhattan with Josh Waitzkin, the subject of the book "Searching for Bobby Fischer". In the book, the author Fred Waitzkin
, writes: “Morgan was a year and a half younger than Josh but had the vocabulary and wit of a smart 14-year-old, and he was already one of the three or four strongest chess players in the country in his age group (third grade and under).” Pehme was also portrayed as the character “Morgan” by actor Hal Scardino
in the 1993 film adaptation of the book.
As founder and CEO of the production company Merlion Entertainment, Pehme executive produced his first feature film in 2004. The movie, Exist, directed by Esther Bell, was hailed by The New York Times as “an antidote to the whimsy and solipsism
endemic to much of what passes for independent film making.”
The next year Pehme produced Nightmare, which he also co-wrote with the film’s director, Dylan Bank. For their collaboration, Pehme and Bank were awarded the jury prize for Best Screenplay at Fantastic Fest
in Austin, Texas.
From January 2008 to January 2010, Pehme wrote The Brooklyn Optimist, a blog focused primarily on politics, the arts, and community empowerment in Brooklyn, New York. In September 2008, Pehme, a critic of Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez
, ran in the Democratic primary to represent a portion of Greenpoint, Brooklyn
as a County Committee Member in the Kings County Democratic Party and was elected.
Pehme is a former adjunct professor of mass communications, journalism, TV and film at St. John’s University. Currently, Pehme is executive director of New York Civic
, a good government group founded by former New York City Parks Commissioner Henry Stern
. He is also a contributor to The Huffington Post
.
On September 19, 2011, Pehme was named one of City Hall News' Rising Stars 40 Under 40 of New York City politics.
The son of journalist Kalev Pehme, Pehme has been involved in film since he was a child. As a former United States National Scholastic Chess Champion (1993 National Junior High School Championship), he was one of the subjects of director Lynn Hamrick’s 1996 documentary Chess Kids, as well as Hamrick’s 2011 30-minute follow to her original film.
Pehme attended The Dalton School
The Dalton School
The Dalton School, originally called the Children's University School, is a private university-preparatory school on New York City's Upper East Side and a member of both the New York Interschooland the Ivy Preparatory School League...
in Manhattan with Josh Waitzkin, the subject of the book "Searching for Bobby Fischer". In the book, the author Fred Waitzkin
Fred Waitzkin
Fred Waitzkin is an American novelist and writer for The New York Times Sunday Magazine, New York, and Esquire...
, writes: “Morgan was a year and a half younger than Josh but had the vocabulary and wit of a smart 14-year-old, and he was already one of the three or four strongest chess players in the country in his age group (third grade and under).” Pehme was also portrayed as the character “Morgan” by actor Hal Scardino
Hal Scardino
Hal Scardino is an American former child actor best known for having played the leading role in the movie The Indian in the Cupboard...
in the 1993 film adaptation of the book.
As founder and CEO of the production company Merlion Entertainment, Pehme executive produced his first feature film in 2004. The movie, Exist, directed by Esther Bell, was hailed by The New York Times as “an antidote to the whimsy and solipsism
Solipsism
Solipsism is the philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist. The term comes from Latin solus and ipse . Solipsism as an epistemological position holds that knowledge of anything outside one's own mind is unsure. The external world and other minds cannot be known, and might not...
endemic to much of what passes for independent film making.”
The next year Pehme produced Nightmare, which he also co-wrote with the film’s director, Dylan Bank. For their collaboration, Pehme and Bank were awarded the jury prize for Best Screenplay at Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is an annual film festival in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2005 by Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News, Paul Alvarado-Dykstra, and Tim McCanlies, writer of The Iron Giant and Secondhand Lions. The festival focuses on genre films such as horror,...
in Austin, Texas.
From January 2008 to January 2010, Pehme wrote The Brooklyn Optimist, a blog focused primarily on politics, the arts, and community empowerment in Brooklyn, New York. In September 2008, Pehme, a critic of Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez
Vito Lopez
Vito Joseph Lopez is an American politician, member of the New York State Assembly, and chairman of the Democratic Party of Kings County.-Personal life:...
, ran in the Democratic primary to represent a portion of Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at the Bushwick inlet, on the southeast by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and East Williamsburg, on the north by Newtown Creek and Long Island City, Queens at the...
as a County Committee Member in the Kings County Democratic Party and was elected.
Pehme is a former adjunct professor of mass communications, journalism, TV and film at St. John’s University. Currently, Pehme is executive director of New York Civic
New York Civic
New York Civic is a New York based, good governance, nonprofit organization created in 2002 by Henry Stern, former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and Alan M...
, a good government group founded by former New York City Parks Commissioner Henry Stern
Henry Stern
Henry J. Stern ; was a member of the New York City Council from 1974 to 1983 and appointed as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation from 1983 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 2000.-Early life:...
. He is also a contributor to The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
.
On September 19, 2011, Pehme was named one of City Hall News' Rising Stars 40 Under 40 of New York City politics.
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1412827/
- http://awalkaroundtheblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/the-brooklyn-optimist-the-brooklyn-greenway-initiative-2/
- http://brooklynoptimist.blogspot.com/
- http://www.observer.com/2008/dean-upstate-clintons-new-ads
- http://movies2.nytimes.com/2005/12/01/movies/01exis.html?ex=1179201600&en=0fee59c6b87d0b6b&ei=5070
- http://www.concentric.net/~williams/NatChess.html
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091028083109/http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/searching.htm
- http://www.thefestguide.com/gciff2011/Chess_Kids.html
- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1067763/2/index.htm
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/morgan-pehme/vito-lopez-the-plot-thick_b_737187.html
- http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/pdf/documents/boe/2008PrimaryElection/CandidacyList.pdf
- http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/undergraduate/professionalstudies/departments/communications/faculty.stj
- http://wccny.org/about/95th-anniversary-year/]http://nycivic.org/aboutus.html
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/morgan-pehme