Former Celebration resident and local film director Tony Cortese, will have the honor of having his long awaited featured documentary on Walt Disney’s epic journey of the making of Walt Disney World and E.P.C.O.T. kick off this year’s Orlando Film Festival.
Walt Disney – Master of Dreams, The Road to E.P.C.O.T. premiers on Thursday, October 17 at 8 p.m.
In addition to the film’s world premier that evening, Academy & Emmy Award Nominated Director Leslie Iwerks (Recycled Life, The Pixar Story, Industrial Light & Magic) will be honored with the Cinematic Icon Award, following a “Sneak Peek” of her 6 part series, The History of Imagineering due to be released on the New Disney + Streaming Service, this fall.
Cortese unites with Disney legends and Imagineers Bob Gurr, Rolly Crump & Richard Sherman, in a 2 hour feature documentary that takes us through Walt Disney’s epic journey from the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair through the opening of E.P.C.O.T.
Joined by award winning authors Jeff Barnes and Sam Gennawey, Audio Animatronics Pioneer Garner Holt and Commercial Property Developer Robert Kingsland, the story explores in detail Disney’s journey to Central Florida.
The film walks us through, the secret land acquisition of 27,000 acres of Florida swampland and how Walt Disney’s vision for E.P.C.O.T., a real life utopian progress city of the future was never realized, but how Walt’s team of Imagineers landed on the E.P.C.O.T. that was ultimately built and stands today.
The film also includes never before seen interviews with Harrison Buzz Price who guided Walt Disney in the siting and development of Walt Disney World and Art Linkletter, Walt Disney’s longtime friend.
Never before has this story been told so thoroughly and accurately by Walt Disney’s closest confidants who walked beside him each step of the way. Supporting insight by some of the industry’s leading experts, provides a unique look at the pivotal milestones that unfolded through the journey, including the secret land acquisition of 27,000 acres of Florida swampland. The film also explores Walt Disney’s unique leadership style that was paramount in inspiring his team of imagineers to work tirelessly after their leader and mentor’s untimely death to complete what would be the largest construction project the world had ever seen!
For more information on Master of Dreamers visit www.masterofdreamers.com.
The above article appears in the October 2019 edition of the Celebration News