East Hampton - New multi-award winning documentary about renowned modern music composer/conductor will screen at Hamptons Take 2 Documentary Film Festival on Saturday, November 19, 2011 and Sunday, November 20, 2011 (12 noon both days) with Q&A by star Joel Thome, producer/director Chris Pepino, and performer Martha Mooke of the famed Scorchio Quartet.

Joel Thome with Frank Zappa. (Courtesy Photo: True Form Pictures)

The film premiered at the 30th annual New Jersey Film Festival in September 2011, and garnered the award for "Best Short Documentary Film" in that competition. It screened next at DocMiami International Film Festival where it was a finalist for "Most Inspirational Documentary," and where it also went on to win the "Audience Award" at that festival. The upcoming screening will mark the film's New York premiere.

This 60-minute documentary chronicles the life and work of Grammy award-winning composer/conductor, Pulitzer Prize nominee and stroke survivor, Joel Thome. "Joel, a world traveled master musician, did many of Frank Zappa's
elaborate arrangements for orchestra and rock band, and also composed for Steve Vai, and forPablo Picasso's play "Catch Desire By The Tail" (among many other notable projects). The journey of Thome is an unusual story of dedication, love, and unquestionable genius; the story of a composer who constantly strived to break the mold and explore uncharted territories in music and in life.

After suffering from a debilitating stroke which left him paralyzed on his left side, Joel underwent intensive music therapy to regain his mental and physical capacities. He returned to the stage in 2009 to perform his graphically notated mandala scores for a NYC audience. The concert of modern music was performed by the brilliantly eccentric Scorchio Quartet (assembled and named by David Bowie), and featured animated mandala artwork by abstract NYC painter Harry Doolittle. The film includes performance and rehearsal footage, archival video, and interviews with musicians, colleagues and performers.

True Form Pictures is an independent production company based in California specializing in documentary and concert films. Their last released film "We Enjoy Yourself" (2009) is an award-winning documentary about fans of the band Phish traveling on their infamously cursed farewell tour in Vermont.