Backstage film directed by Davis Priestley and Uli Beutter Cohen

Now, Forager follows a Basque-American husband and wife across three seasons as they struggle to earn a living by hunting wild mushrooms and selling them to restaurants.The film was shot in all five boroughs of New York City, the Hudson Valley, and Northern New Jersey between May 2010 and May 2011. The film was co-directed by longtime collaborators Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin, based on Cortlund’s script.

The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (world) and New Directors/New Films (U.S.)

www.nowforager.com

• IFP GOTHAM AWARDS 2012-10-18
  

  NOW, FORAGER directors Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin are nominated for a 2012 Gotham Award in the category of Breakthrough Director.

• ROGER EBERT 2012-10-11
  

  ***½ The images of wild mushrooms by Cortlund himself and the shots of food prep by cinematographer Jonathan Nastasi, approach art. NOW, FORAGER is an uncompromising film about two people who don’t deserve each other…

• HUFFINGTON POST 2012-10-11
  

  NOW, FORAGER self-assembles something profound and elegant…
  - Daniel Maidman

• LOS ANGELES TIMES 2012-10-11
  

  NOW, FORAGER has charm, intelligence and a cool passion for its principled characters — an appealing off-menu slice for hungry indie admirers.
  - Robert Abele

Official Selection:

International Film Festival Rotterdam 2012 (World Premiere)

New Directors/New Films 2012 (North American Premiere) presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and MoMA 

Fusebox Festival (Austin, TX)

Lighthouse International Film Festival (New Jersey)

Provincetown International Film Festival (Massachusetts)

Cinematek – Royal Belgium Film Archive (Belgium)

Durban International Film Festival (South Africa)

Rural Route Film Festival (Museum of the Moving Image. New York)

New Orleans Film Festival (Louisiana)

In this series, Bobby Deen takes his mother, Paula Deen’s, recipes and transforms her Southern comfort food into lighter, lean, yet still delicious dishes. Each week, we’ll follow Bobby as he tries to recreate one of his Mama’s famous meals with healthy substitutes that cut down on calories and fat, but still deliver on taste.

Jonathan Nastasi uses his distinctive visual style for this #1 rated show on Cooking Channel.

Special thank you to Charlie Waters for composing the music.

Harlem is in the midst of an undeniable food revolution. Restaurateurs like Marcus Samuelsson have come to breathe new life into the food culture, while culinary institutions like Sylvia’s have stayed true to their traditions and remain relevant and sought after in a new landscape. As the neighborhood undergoes another renaissance, opportunities for change are around every corner in the form of new restaurants and green markets. From Ethiopian to Italian to French and Spanish, virtually every type of cuisine makes Harlem a vibrant food destination.

In the Woods documents residents living illegally in a homeless camp over the course of a year and their ongoing fight against eviction. This documentary feature is produced and directed by Kalim Armstrong and is currently in post production.

Jonathan Nastasi contributed much of the cinematography for the project. This video shows some of his work in the film.

inthewoodsdocumentary.com

“You’ve Got…” is a daily program that features top politicians, celebrities, and people of interest.

Jonathan Nastasi has been contributing to this programming for more than a year. He has shot interviews with Edward Norton, Padma Lakshmi, Joy Bahar, Matt Damon, Juan Williams, Isaac Mizrahi and many more.