Kathy Drasky
. . . is an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker and photographer. Her work is a reflection and extension of her background in editorial production, content creation and digital media management, work that often required she provide images. This led to assignments as an event photographer and photojournalist in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Work supporting and managing film and video shoots resulted in Kathy producing videos shot with her iPhone and the completion in 2015 of her first documentary short film.
PHOTO: Kathy (second from right) with collaborators, participants and supporters at the premiere party for "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream", October 2018 in Detroit, MI.
Photography
Kathy's photos have appeared nationally and internationally in publications like New York Magazine, Slate, Vice (Canada), Flung Magazine and Thrillist. Locally, Kathy's work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Weekly, SFist and Hoodline.
Film
Kathy's first independent documentary film, "Jeanne and Mike: Original Art" was named one of the top 250 independent documentaries of 2015. It screened at several film festivals, was nominated for a handful of awards and won Best Short Film at the March 2016 Direct Short Online Film Festival.
Kathy's second independent documentary, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream" had its big screen premiere at Detroit's Bel Air Luxury Cinema on 8 Mile Road in October 2018. During a successful film festival run, this film picked up awards around the world, including "No Budget Spirit Award" (Top Indie Films) and "Best Mobile Short" (Los Angeles Indie Short Fest). It was also named to the Spotlight Documentary list of 250 Top Docs of 2018.
Kathy's third independent documentary film "The Sexy Six: A Story of Lifelong Friendship", is currently on the film fest circuit and is picking up its fair share of awards and some minor distribution deals. The film, which chronicles the friendship of six women from Norwalk, Connecticut over eight decades has recently been an audience favorite in its home state at the Norwalk Film Festival and the New Haven Documentary Festival.
KazzaDrask Media
As a pioneer in the desktop publishing industry, an original contributor to some of the first online publications, an early adopter of social media and an award-winning content curator, Kathy has been a leader in the digital media revolution. Her full-service digital media agency provides creative original content and dynamic curated content that will enhance your presence on the web, mobile devices and the movie screen.
Selected Shows/Screenings, Awards, Publications, Press
Awards:
2021: Outstanding Documentary Short (Winter 2021), International Independent Film Festival Hollywood
2020: Silver Award Winner, Top 250 Independent Documentaries of 2020: "The Sexy Six", Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
2020: Best Documentary Short (December 2020), American Golden Picture International Film Festival
2019: Silver Award Winner, Top 250 Independent Documentaries of 2019: "Uncle Frank's House", Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
2019: Gold Award, Best Short Documentary (July 2019), Mindfield Film Festival, Albuquerque
2019: Best Mobile Short (May 2019), Indie Short Fest, Los Angeles
2018: Winner, Spirit Award (June 2018). Top Indie Film Awards
2016: Winner, Best Short Film (March 2016). Direct Short Online Film Festival
2015: Silver Award Winner, Top 250 Independent Documentaries of 2015: "Jeanne and Mike", Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
Selected Screenings:
Norwalk Film Festival, "The Sexy Six: A Story of Lifelong Friendship" (December 2021)
New Haven Documentary Film Festival, "The Sexy Six: A Story of Lifelong Friendship" (August 2021)
Bay Area Premiere, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream", San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, Little Roxie Theater (July 2019)
Buenos Aires Film Festival, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream" (July 2019)
Georgia Documentary Film Festival, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream" (June 2019)
World Premiere, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream", Bel Air Luxury Cinema, Detroit, MI (October 2018)
Community Screening, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream", Detroit Public Library, Wilder Branch (October 2018)
Festigious International Film Festival,"Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream" (July 2018)
Top Indie Film Awards, "Uncle Frank's House: An American Dream" (June 2018)
Direct Short Online Film Festival, "Jeanne and Mike: Original Art" (March 2016)
Wendy's Shorts, "Jeanne and Mike: Original Art" (October 2015)
Underfunded Film Festival, "Jeanne and Mike: Original Art" (September 2015)
Images Featured in Selected Publications: Digital, Print, Video
2023: Feature, "Why Film: Nostalgia" Salome Magazine, Issue 1, Fall/Winter
2023: Contributor, "What We Love" SF Street Photography, Vol. 2
2023: Contributor, Indisposable Concept "IC Meet Series with Kathy Drasky"
2022: Photo Corners Matinee, June 4. "Save the Country"
2022: New York Magazine, June 17. "The Approval Matrix"
2022: The Roku Channel: "Lesbian Bar Project"
2022: Abandoned Places, Feb 1. "Salton Sea: From Desert Oasis to Abandoned Wasteland"
2022: BrokeAss Stuart, Jan 17. "What's a Bodega to a Corner Store?"
2021: KALW, February 8. "Amanda Gorman Becomes First Poet to Perform at Super Bowl"
2019: Curbed (Los Angeles), "21 Things To Do in the California Desert"
2019: Doug Strahm music video, "Freedom Rings"
2018: KOH AM 780, March 18. "Reno Arch Snuffed Out"
2017: TimeOut San Francisco, August. "14 Things You'll Find in Every San Franciscan's Bag"
2017: Timeline, February 14. "The Economy Is Killing the Lesbian Bar"
2017: SFist, January 3. "Tuesday Lunchtime Links"
2016: SFist, October 19. "Day Around the Bay"
2016: SFist, October 8. "Saturday Links"
2016: SFist, September 14. "Wednesday Lunchtime Links"
2016: Feature, Hoodline, May 26. "Divisadero's Recent Past"
2016: Hoodline, May 15. "Scenes from Bay to Breakers on Divisadero"
2016: SonicBids, April 15. "The 10 Biggest Hip-Hop Cities in America"
2016: Feature, Hoodline, April 4. "Meet the Street Photographer Documenting Divisadero for 12 Years and Counting"
2016: SFist, March 1. "Tuesday Morning Roundup"
2016: Thrillist (Detroit). "Baker's Keyboard Lounge"
2016: Flung. "The Fascinating Ruins of 5 Long Lost Beach Resorts"
2015: SF Bay News, November 7. "Union Square Readies Eight-Story Holiday Tree"
2015: Slate, October 2. "Kings Cross Punch Out"
2013: The New Fillmore, Oct. 29. "Fillmore Loses Its Mayor"
2010: FoundSF. "The Epicenter of Crime: The Hunt's Donuts Story"
2008: San Francisco Chronicle, August 10. "A Patchwork of Bay Area Parties and Personalities"
Photography Shows
2023: The Curated Fridge. Summer 2023. Long Island City, NY
2023: You Are Here. Trade and Investment Queensland/North America Headquarters. San Francisco, CA
2013: 200 Yards / Calumet Photo. San Francisco, CA
2012: 200 Yards / Rare Device. San Francisco, CA
Press:
2021: WTNH Nyberg Report, December 16, "The Sexy Six Documentary Follows Lifelong Friendship Between Norwalk Women in the 1940s"
2021: Design Core Detroit, January 16, "Case Study: Restore NED"
2020: Norwalk Historical Society, October 1 "Talk Back with Film Director Kathy Drasky"
2019: The Daily Californian, July 25. "Bay Area Filmmakers Showcase Creative Spirit at San Francisco Frozen Film Festival"
2019: "San Francisco Filmmaker's Short Documentary about Detroit to Screen at 13th Annual San Francisco Frozen Film Festival", July.
2019: Detroit UNESCO City of Design/Inclusive Design Together, 2019 Monitoring Report, June. "Creating Community Impact Through Collective Action", pp. 31-34
2018: NED's Notes, Fall/Winter 2018. "Restoring...Creating Northeast Detroit: Through the Power of One...Through the Power of Many"
2018: "Movie Premiere Fundraiser for Restore Northeast Detroit (NED)", October.
2016: Hoodline (San Francisco), April 4. "Meet the Street Photographer Documenting Divisadero for 12 Years and Counting"
2016: Indisposable Concept, 2016. "Meet Kathy Drasky"
2015: Norwalk Daily Voice, October 26. "Norwalk Family Documentary Makes Film Festival Debut"
IMDb Profile: Kathy Drasky, Director
Education:
B.A. (English, Writing Option) Western Connecticut State University, 1984
A.A. (Mass Communications) Norwalk Community College, 1981