The documentary film "The Bellman Equation" chronicles a 16 year odyssey by writer-director Gabriel Leif Bellman, grandson of Richard Bellman, to solve the many issues surrounding Bellman's life and death. From his work on the Manhattan project, to his persecution under McCarthy, to his parenting skills, Bellman remained an enigmatic figure to all who knew him.
About the Subject:
Richard Bellman
One of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century, Mr. Bellman was a pioneer in the field of computer science. Bellman's work changed the perception of the application of mathematics within science. The term 'Bellman Equation' is a type of problem named after its discoverer, in which a problem that would otherwise be not possible to solve is broken into a solution based on the intuitive nature of the solver. Applied in control theory, economics, and medicine, it has become an important tool in using math to solve really difficult problems. A fiercely independent and controversial figure, Mr. Bellman published more than 40 books and 600 papers before his early death of a brain tumor. The inventor of the field of dynamic programming was persecuted by McCarthy, worked on the Manhattan project, and remained as much a mystery as the problems he conquered.
About the Filmmaker:
Gabriel Leif Bellman
As a television Producer, Mr. Bellman helped start the 'True Life' series at MTV, from 1997-2000. Helped produce the Emmy award winning 'Fight for the Rights' series about youth gun violence. He is the cofounder and director of the San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, and was a featured speaker at the 2009 International Film Festival Summit in Las Vegas on the future of narrative film and media. This is Mr. Bellman's second feature documentary.
His last film "Duffy's Irish Circus" was released by Cinequest in 2005. Awarded a Bachelor's from USC's Film School ('95) a Master's from New York University ('99), and a law degree from U. C. Hastings ('05), he has been a high-school teacher; MTV producer; umbrella salesman; restaurant host; dishwasher; lumber feeder; assembly liner; slam poet; warehouse stacker; magazine correspondent; opera composer at Juilliard, groundskeeper; and 'Playboy' assistant. He has worked construction (Mexico); lived abroad (Spain, Ireland); and devoted extensive time to traveling (Europe, North Africa, the United States, Middle East, and Caribbean). He has traveled with the circus in Ireland and worked with female prisoners in California.
About the Editor:
Wesley Cabral is a video artist and film editor based in San Francisco. Recent projects include video design for Marin Theater Company, African-American Shakespeare Company, The Magic, Brava, Just Theater and mugwumpin. The San Francisco Bay Theatre Area Critics Circle recently nominated Wesley's video design for outstanding achievement. Film credits include production design for A Green Mountain in the Drawer, (Winner, Best Narrative Short at the San Diego Asian Film Festival) The Strange Rebirth of Andre Weil, Daphne or the Forbidden Touch and Character Driven. Additional film credits include assistant editor on One Way to Valhalla. Wesley holds a BFA in drawing from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and is a graduate of Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy.
About the Music:
Kenji Bunch has emerged as one of the most prominent, prolific, and versatile American composers of his generation, with a unique blend of wit, exuberance, lyricism, unpredictable stylistic infusions, and expert craftsmanship that has brought acclaim from audiences, performers, and critics alike. Mr. Bunch's symphonic music has been performed by over forty orchestras, and his genre-defying chamber works have been performed in premiere venues on six continents. His music is regularly broadcast on radio stations worldwide, and has been recorded on numerous labels, including Sony Classical, EMI, and RCA.
Mr. Bunch maintains an active career as a violist, and is widely recognized for performing his own groundbreaking works for viola. A versatile musician with a deep interest in American musical traditions and improvisation, he plays bluegrass fiddle, sings, and is a frequent guest performer, recording artist, and arranger with many prominent rock, jazz, folk, and experimental artists. A native of Portland, Oregon, Mr. Bunch graduated from the Juilliard School with degrees in both viola and composition, and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. For more information, please visit www.kenjibunch.com.