Arts
Welcome to Episode 55 of "Peter and Omar's Arts and Culture Show". This week, Peter and Omar welcome award winning actor/writer/director, Elana Krausz, to the show. Her two films which feature her work as a multihyphenate are STRIPPED DOWN and AT RISK. STRIPPED DOWN, a dark comedy where revenge becomes redemption, is aesthetically reminiscent of David Lynch and Luis Bunuel. This film stars IAN ZIERING ("Beverly Hills 90210" and “Dancing with the Stars”) and MARCUS JEAN PIRAE (Bulletproof Monk). Amongst the many other national and international film festival awards that STRIPPED DOWN has garnered, Elana’s acting was recognized with awards for New Emerging Talent, Solstice Film Festival; and Best Actress, Silver Lake Film Festival. AT RISK, a noir thriller that fragments time , deals with love and death in the time of AIDS. The film also stars VINCE VAUGHN (Wedding Crashers), RANDY TRAVIS (The Visitation), KIM MYERS (Nightmare On Elm Street, Part 2) and the late Broadway star, DANIEL McDONALD (The Ice Storm). Elana has also appeared in many independent art house films, most recently, AUDIE & THE WOLF, BOPPIN’ AT THE GLUE FACTORY and MAD COWGIRL. In 2000, Ms. Krausz founded VISUALINER STUDIOS, an 11,000 square foot production studio in Culver City, which was home to many films, music videos and commercials. Elana worked at The Actors’ Studio with Lee Strasberg at a very young age and has appeared on stage in a wide range of roles, from the classics to prize-winning contemporary plays to sketch comedy, including stand-up, both in New York and Los Angeles. Elana is equally committed to social and environmental concerns as she is to film making. She has served on several non-profit boards including Florence Crittenden Center, a social services center, and was President of the Board of Directors for One Fifty Parker, an early child development program. She has also produced and directed several educational films and Public Service Announcements. Most recently, Elana co-founded The Yoga Heals Foundation. Krausz is currently developing several scripts for film and television. She has served as a producer and consultant on many films and is highly regarded as an influential source of creative input and business acumen. She is also a yogi and mother of five. Links: http://www.strippeddownthemovie.com/ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0701504/ http://www.pretty-scary.net/content/elana-krauszs-stripper-thriller-stripped-down-gets-theatrical-release