Christian de Rezendes
Co-Director, Co-Producer, Camera, Editor
Christian de Rezendes is a Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor and Actor. He holds a Degree in Theatre Arts from Dean College, a BA in Film Studies from Rhode Island College, a Certificate in 16mm Filmmaking from New York University and has studied theatre abroad in London, England with Roger Williams University.
As Founder of Breaking Branches Pictures in 1996, Christian has created and developed award-winning and critically praised features and documentaries. At the age of 21, his first documentary Branches ’93 received a Certificate of Merit from the Chicago International Film Festival. Years later, the family inspired documentary Alzira's Story (2000) received the Silver Award from the Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival, screened at the Video Lisboa Festival in Lisbon, Portugal and aired on PBS.
In 2002, the improvisational dramedy Getting Out of Rhode Island won the honors of Best Feature and Best Director at the Black Point Film Festival in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and was distributed by Film Threat DVD. The film was a full experimental improvisation filmed in less than 2 ½ hours.
In 2007, Christian co-directed/produced and edited 41, a documentary on the inspiring life and prophetic work of Nick O'Neill, the youngest victim of the Rhode Island Nightclub fire, which claimed 100 lives in February of 2003. The film is distribution by Nehst Studios. 41 received critical praise on Film Threat and the Providence Journal and received numerous awards including Best Narrative Documentary from the Blue Mountain Film Festival in Collingwood, Ontario.
In 2009, Christian directed, filmed and edited Zach, a Film about Epilepsy, produced by CURE: Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy. This short documentary captured a day in the life of Zachery Smith (age 19) and his family as they all struggle with this disease.
Breaking Branches Pictures has also collaborated with other New England and New York based filmmakers as Cinematographer and/or Editor on films such as First Movement Form, They Walk Among Us, Solitaire, Children of Providence and A Tiger In the Dark: The Drew Evans Story. Additional camera credits include the documentary Masters of the Grind, about the history of grind house genre filmmakers. Christian is also Associate Producer and Director of Photography on Life On the V: The Story of V66. The film focuses on the short-lived UHF music video station of Boston in the mid 1980’s. Both films are currently in post-production. He also serves as the Technical Director for the SENE (Southeast New England) Film, Music and Arts Festival, based in Providence.
Christian is currently developing a slate of new film projects for Breaking Branches Pictures. He resides in North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
Chris O'Neill
Co-Director, Co-Producer, Camera
Chris O'Neill is a Rhode Island-based filmmaker, theater director, educator, screenwriter/playwright, videographer/editor and graphic/web designer. He holds a BA in the Humanities from Providence College, an MA in Theatre Education from Emerson College, and an MFA from CUNY-Brooklyn College in Directing.
He has directed dozens of stage plays throughout the Northeast since beginning
his career in 1999 and is one of the founders of Rhode Island Stage Ensemble
(RISE) and Encore Repertory. Recent credits include They Walk Among Us (World
Premiere), Joseph... Dreamcoat, A Christmas Carol, his original adaptation of
Miracle on 34th Street, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Why the Lord Come to Sand Mountain, The Mystery Plays and the Off-Off Broadway premiere of the original
short musical, The People Could Fly. He also Assistant Directed the World
Premiere of the musical Honor for Prospect Theater Company and the New York
premiere of his brother's play They Walk Among Us.
His feature films (created under his production label, Nicky's Counting
Productions) include
They Walk Among Us and the documentary 41 (co-directed
with Christian de Rezendes). Shorts and videos include Sweet Ride, Beyond the Fiddle and World Wide Web. He is currently in pre-pre-production for
his next feature, All Souls.
Kevin O'Neill
Additional Camera
Kevin O'Neill has been teaching Commercials, Scene Study and Monologues at Lisa Maile for over ten years. Prior to that he lived in Los Angeles for eight years where he worked in over 25 National commercials including, Century 21, Shower to Shower, Nabisco, Ford Ranger, Miller Light Beer, Compaq Computers, Jiffy Lube, Bacardi Mixers, AT&T, Titleist and Boston Market. He was also cast in roles in such shows as NBC's Hardball, USA's After the Shock, The Cape, Seaquest and Safe Harbor as well as roles in Independent films Nine Minutes, Butterfly Dreams, Saudade, Enid, Figment and Exposure.
Kevin has worked on stage with the likes of Vic Tayback and Charles Nelson Reilly. Since moving back to Florida he has worked on over a dozen national commercials including a recent big campaign for Grecian Five. He won "Best Actor in a Feature Film" from the FMPTA for his portrayal of Chris Reynolds in the film The Last Game as well as a "Crystal Reel Award" for his portrayal of Captain Coleman in the film Course of Action. He has guest-starred on the television series Sheena playing his first "Bad guy" role, Vinson. Most recent film work includes Dead by Friday, Second Coming, Delivery, The Price and TV Pilot Wingmen.2007-2010 © Breaking Branches Pictures
