Director David Gelb is no stranger to the Tribeca Film Festival. He premiered a short he co-directed, The King of Central Park starring Jeffrey Tambor and Henry Winkler, at Tribeca some nine years ago. And Gelb’s lauded documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi made its North American debut at the 2011 Tribeca Fest.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi chronicles the meticulous work of chef Jiro Ono, an octogenarian who elevated making sushi into an art form. Beyond showcasing the culinary prowess of Ono, Jiro Dreams of Sushi sheds light on Japanese culture, from the drive for perfection to the familial structure that favors the first son in terms of succession as Ono’s children Yoshikazu, who works under his father, and Takashi, who opened his own restaurant, prepare to carry on their dad’s legacy in different ways.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi immediately secured theatrical release after rolling out at Tribeca and turned into one of the festival’s biggest breakouts that year, generating $2 million in box office. The documentary won assorted honors, including the AFI World Cinema Audience Award and the Monterey International Film Festival Audience Award.
Now fast forward to today and Gelb has another documentary, A Faster Horse, slated to make its world premiere at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival–selected for the Spotlight section consisting of 40 films, 17 of which are documentaries.
A Faster Horse comes as the iconic Ford Mustang approaches its 50th anniversary. Ford is launching a redesign of the iconic car placing the jobs and expectations of thousands squarely on the shoulders of chief program engineer Dave Pericak. Gelb has crafted A Faster Horse to be more than a car lover’s documentary, offering an insightful exploration of American ingenuity, workmanship and resilience.
Gelb will also be at the Tribeca Film Festival, which runs April 15-26, on another front. The “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” series will include the world premiere of Chef’s Table, a Netflix series that showcases the techniques and talents of some of the most well-known international chefs. Following the screening will be a conversation with series creator Gelb, episode director Clay Jeter and chef Dan Barber.
Gelb directed his first film, a short starring Robert Downey Jr. and Edward Burns, while still in high school. And after graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he directed A Vision of Blindness for the Sundance Channel, a behind-the-scenes look at Fernando Meirelles’ feature Blindness starring Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore. Gelb has a diverse filmography, aided by his connecting with Nonfiction Unlimited for commercials and branded content.
SHOOT: Provide some backstory on A Faster Horse. How did the documentary come about? What drew you to the project?
Gelb: Glen Zipper and Nigel Sinclair, who are documentary producers that I have an enormous amount of respect for, first approached me about doing a feature film on the Mustang. They told me that they planned to do it with the cooperation of Ford, but that we would have complete creative freedom to do whatever I wanted with it. I’ve always loved Mustangs ever since my dad took me to Los Angeles one summer and rented a GT convertible. Ever since then I’ve had an emotional connection to it, and I quickly realized that many people have these kinds of “Mustang stories.” I was so curious about what makes a person have an emotional connection to a product like this. The more I researched, the more curious I became, and the film is the result.
SHOOT: What was (were) the biggest creative challenge(s) that A Faster Horse posed to you as a documentary filmmaker?
Gelb: The story of the Mustang is huge. Nine million cars produced over 50 years with thousands of fan clubs all over the world. The hardest part was figuring out the entry point to the story. The answer came in the characters that we discovered. Lee Iacocca, who willed the original Mustang into existence, is a true visionary and a fascinating character. And Dave Pericak, the chief engineer of the 2015 Mustang, has the weight of that legacy on his shoulders. The answer was to tell the story through the characters.
SHOOT: What does the selection of A Faster Horse for Tribeca mean to you personally and professionally?
Gelb: Getting a movie into Tribeca is always a gratifying and validating experience. This is a film about characters in the orbit of a legendary product, but is absolutely not a commercial or piece of branded content. This is a feature film, and being accepted into the festival is a nice honor.
SHOOT: What’s your history at Tribeca? I recall that Jiro Dreams of Sushi made its North American debut at Tribeca. Tell us of that experience and any others you’ve had at Tribeca?
Gelb: I’m from New York originally, so it means a lot to me have my films screened here so my friends and family can enjoy them at the festival. It’s actually my third film to be screened here. My first film at Tribeca was a short that I co-directed with my friend Max Winkler called The King of Central Park. Years later, I was proud to return with Jiro Dreams of Sushi and am glad to be coming back for my third time with A Faster Horse.
SHOOT: Update us on your commercial/branded content endeavors at Nonfiction Unlimited. How has your commercialmaking/branded content experience informed your work in documentaries?
Gelb: One of my favorite things about working on commercials with Nonfiction is the incredible crews that they have on their shoots. I’ve worked with lots of crew members that have taught me a great deal, and I certainly apply those lessons in all my work. Specifically Don Burgess, the cinematographer that has worked on many films with Robert Zemeckis and other directors I have great esteem for taught me a great deal when we worked together on Bank of America. I relish those opportunities.
