NEW FILM TO BE RELEASED IN 2011!

Substantial Films Inc. is happy to announce the completion of its documentary, “Nazim Hikmet: Living Is No Laughing Matter,” several years in the making.

The 86-minute film is a biography of Nazim Hikmet (1902-1963), a leading 20th century poet and Turkey's most gifted writer. He was jailed for nearly 16 years in Turkey, barred from the U.S. and banned in his country of exile, Russia, because of his political beliefs. His only weapon was his poetry. His only crime was his unwavering support for human rights. Turkey’s roadblocks to democracy are well known. Less appreciated are the many Turks who fought for a more just and egalitarian society. Nazim's story is a powerful tale of an artist’s commitment to his craft and the universal struggle for freedom.

The movie was shot in Turkey, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. and features interviews with the poet’s family and friends, with comment from some of the many artists influenced by Nazim’s work and life, including Howard Fast and Pete Seeger.

"The Real Pepsi Challenge: The Inspirational Story of Breaking the Color Barrier in American Business" (Wall Street Journal Books/Free Press; New York, 2007)

In America's long march toward racial equality, small acts of courage by men and women whose names we don't recall have contributed mightily to our nation's struggle to achieve its own ideals.

This moving book details the story of one such little-noted chapter. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, as Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball, a group of African-American businessmen -- twelve at its peak -- changed the face of American business by being among the first black Americans to work at professional jobs in Corporate America and to target black consumers as a distinct market.

The corporation was Pepsi-Cola, led by the charismatic and socially progressive Walter Mack, a visionary business leader. Though Mack was a guarded idealist, his consent for a campaign aimed at black consumers was primarily motivated by the pursuit of profits -- and the campaign succeeded, boosting Pepsi's earnings and market share. But America succeeded as well, as longstanding stereotypes were chipped away and African- Americans were recognized as both talented employees and valued customers. It was a significant step in our becoming a more inclusive society.