ACTOR AND PRODUCER ARTURO MUYSHONDT
(THE PASTOR) TO SPEAK AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON POVERTY, INEQUALITY AND GLOBAL CONFLICT AS GLOBAL SPOKESPERSON FOR
THE DREAM CENTER
United Nations Conference will take place in New York CITY January 11-12
Born and raised amid the violent civil war in El Salvador, Arturo Muyshondt becomes the voice of social change after being inspired from his time doing research on gang violence in poverty stricken areas in preparation for his upcoming film THE PASTOR
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – January 11, 2016 – As part of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter: the birthday of the world organization, the UN will bring together a group of key thinkers and innovators from around the world for a two-day interactive conference at UN headquarters under the auspices of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), January 11-12, 2016. Among the participants, actor and producer Arturo Muyshondt (THE PASTOR) will deliver a speech titled “Story and Film as Transformative Tools: The Dream Center Model for Social Change” on Poverty, Inequality, and Global Conflict on Monday, January 11, as global spokesperson for The Los Angeles Dream Center, a volunteer-driven organization that finds and fills the needs of over 80,000 individuals and families each month.
In addition to serving as spokesperson for The Dream Center, Muyshondt wrote, produced and starred in the cross-cultural, inspirational drama, THE PASTOR, which will release in almost 400 movie theaters nationwide on January 25, 2016. “The Pastor”, played by Arturo Muyshondt, is both a dramatic character study and an inspirational parable that has audiences rooting for the underdog. Set in Brooklyn, New York, a former gang leader ends up in solitary confinement, where he discovers his faith in God. He finds his true purpose as an ordained Pastor after being released on parole and he seeks out the underprivileged youth of his predominantly Hispanic community so that they may find an alternative path to the dangerous gang lifestyle so rampant around them. As turf wars heat up between the two most prominent gangs, one gang leader targets the Pastor’s new mission and community – the church is vandalized, his life is threatened and his estranged wife is kidnapped. Fighting his inner demons, the Pastor must decide between maintaining his newfound faith and returning to his past.
Given the social relevancy of the world depicted in the film—how youths are being targeted by gangs in 90% of the US and some parts of Latin America, and the fact that the story is based on Muyshondt’s time doing research with these kids in jails and communities, Muyshondt has become a voice for social change. Following the United Nations anniversary conference, he will then travel to El Salvador, his native country, and the neighboring countries in Central America, to showcase THE PASTOR as a more human and effective model for dealing with at risk youth and the ever growing gang violence in these countries.
“It’s a great privilege to be representing The Dream Center on the world’s stage and serve this amazing organization through my work and films.” says Muyshondt. “What I have witnessed at The Dream Center is nothing short of miraculous. They have cared for those most in need, not only in Los Angeles, but across the world for over 20 years. I am thrilled to be able to join them as we expand their model for social transformation within the US and throughout the world.”
Matthew Barnett, Co-Founder/CEO of The Dream Center states that the organization is “so honored to partner with Arturo Muyshondt (WolfGang Cinema, The Pastor) in this journey to impact social change in the United States and around the world.”
THE PASTOR stars Arturo Muyshondt (“The Two Lives of Maxi Kaplan”), Franky G (Starz’s “Power”, Lionsgate’s “Saw” franchise) Micah Hauptman (“Everest,” Showtime’s “Homeland”), Angelic Zambrana (“Precious”), Victoria Cartagena (“Salt,” FOX’s “Gotham,”) and Pastor Carlos Ortiz. Deborah Goodwin (“The Two Lives of Maxi Kaplan”) directed the feature from the screenplay she wrote based on Mushondt’s story, inspired by his research in gangs both in communities and inside jails, in the US and in parts of Latin America. “The Pastor” was produced by Muyshondt alongside Courtney Andrialis (“The Erotic Fire of the Unattainable,” “Sleeping with the Fishes”) and Mike Harrop (“I Smile Back,” “Newlyweds,” “The Fitzgerald Family Christmas”). Executive producers are Marcelo Paladini (“Sympathy for Delicious”), Mike Dinnen and Pastor Carlos Ortiz.
THE PASTOR was produced and financed by Muyshondt’s WolfGang Cinema, a film production company founded with a mandate to develop and produce cross-cultural stories with social relevancy for multicultural audiences in the US and abroad. “Our goal is to work with like-minded writers and directors to share real life based stories with redeeming qualities, that can entertain, educate and inspire audiences,” Muyshondt noted.
Tickets for THE PASTOR are available for purchase online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
About Arturo Muyshondt
Arturo is a film actor and producer, who started out as a successful investment banker in Miami in 2001, where he worked for the German Financial Conglomerate, Dresdner Bank AG, advising governments, banks and corporations in Latin America, and later for the Hencorp Group owned Private Equity Division, Alpha Capital, structuring investment vehicles for high net worth individuals to invest in the largest Private Equity Funds in the world.
Arturo began his acting training in 2003 at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida, and then went on to enroll in a two year intensive acting program at one of the most prestigious conservatories in LA, The Joanne Baron Studio. He has since trained with some of the best coaches in Hollywood, most recently in New York with his long-term acting coach, Harold Guskin (Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, James Gandolfini, Liam Neeson, Matt Dillon, Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Connelly), who also prepared Arturo for his role in his upcoming film THE PASTOR, in which he plays the lead title character, having also produced the film and written the story it.
While still working as an investment banker, Arturo launched WGC in Miami in 2006, before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his film career in 2007. Arturo’s interest in filmmaking dates back to when he was twelve years old, when he started writing, directing and acting in his first war themed short films in El Salvador. Arturo has been working intensively with writers developing the screenplays that are now a part of WGC’s cross-cultural film pipeline, as well as developing the key industry associations.
About WolfGang Cinema
WolfGang Cinema (WGC) is a film production company with presence in Los Angeles, New York and Miami, launched by actor-producer Arturo Muyshondt with a mission to develop and produce cross-cultural films that are relevant for today’s multicultural audiences. WGC movies aim to entertain, educate and inspire audiences. WGC has several films in various stages of development, after having acquired the rights to a number of stories and books.
