Bicoastal production company Honor Society has signed director Julian Pugsley for U.S. commercial representation. His directorial aesthetic has been cultivated for over a decade with work for Kmart, Mercedes, Amazon, World of Tanks, Postbank, Migros, and many others. He has also helmed award-winning work–reflecting a trifecta of creativity, cinema and comedy–with agencies worldwide including Adam & Eve DDB, BBH, BBDO, Droga5, Fallon, Fred & Farid, Grey, Jung von Matt, and McCann.
London-native Pugsley began his career as an agency creative working on top campaigns for global brands. His experience on both the agency and production sides of advertising has fostered deeper respect for the creative process and has allowed him to become involved in projects early on as a director. Pugsley has had stints at Skunk, Rabbit and Sweet Shop. Most recently prior to joining Honor Society, he was handled by Traveling Picture Show Company in the U.S. In his early days as a director, while at Sweet Shop, Pugsley and Honor Society EP Megan Kelly got to work together, and the two quickly connected and had a deep appreciation for each other’s drive and focus on creativity.
Kelly assessed, “Julian’s eclectic standout humor and directing style synergize perfectly with our roster. After having worked together over the years, I couldn’t be more excited to bring Julian into the Honor Society family.”
Pugsley added, “Megan and I work really well together and I was drawn to the type of company she built. It’s great that things have come full circle and we have the opportunity to work together once again. Not only is Honor Society a women-led production company, but it’s also an incubator for diverse talent with a wide range of work.”
Pugsley grew up in the U.K., but has always been fascinated with different cultures. His adventurous spirit led him to live abroad for most of his life. He has called Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and now New York City his home. Pugsley continues to be active internationally, repped in the U.K. by Hello Love, in Germany by Big Fish, in France by Quad, in Italy by Think, and in Switzerland by Pumpkin.
When he is not on set, Pugsley is working on developing a documentary about his autistic nephew who quit his office job to cycle around the world.
DOC NYC Unveils Main Slate Lineup: 31 World Premieres; 24 Films Making Their U.S. Debut
DOC NYC--the documentary festival celebrating its 15th anniversary in-person November 13-21 at IFC Center, SVA Theatre and Village East by Angelika, and continuing online through December 1--has unveiled its main slate lineup. The 2024 festival presents more than 110 feature-length documentaries (including yet-to-be-announced Short List and Winner’s Circle titles) among over 200 films and dozens of events, with filmmakers expected in person at most screenings.
Opening the festival on Nov. 13 at SVA Theater will be the U.S. premiere of Sinead O’Shea’s inspiring portrait Blue Road--The Edna O’Brien Story, a breakout hit from the recent Toronto International Film Festival that honors the legendary Irish writer, who passed away just a few months ago at the age of 93.
Closing the festival on Nov. 21, also at SVA Theatre, will be the world premiere of Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn’s Drop Dead City--New York on the Brink in 1975, a look back at the circumstances and players involved in NYC’s mid-70s financial crisis. The festival’s Centerpiece screening on Nov. 14 at Village East is the World premiere of Ondi Timoner’s All God’s Children (also part of the festival’s U.S. Competition), a chronicle of a Brooklyn rabbi and Baptist pastor who join forces to create greater unity between their two communities, against all odds.
Included are 31 world premieres and 24 U.S. premieres, with eight of those presented in the U.S. Competition, for new American-produced nonfiction films, and another eight featured in International Competition, for work from around the globe. The Kaleidoscope Competition for new essayistic and formally adventurous documentaries continues, while the festival’s long-standing Metropolis... Read More