Brandt Andersen

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Brandt Andersen
Born (1977-09-13) September 13, 1977 (age 46)
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Occupation(s)Writer, Director, Producer
Known forThe Strangers' Case, Refugee, Everest, Lone Survivor, Silence, American Made

Brandt Andersen (born September 13, 1977) is an American Activist, Writer, Director, and Producer. Andersen wrote and directed The Strangers Case. A feature film based on Andersen's short film titled Refugee starring Yasmine Al Massri, Omar Sy, and Jason Beghe. The film was Andersen's directorial debut[1] and has been screened at film festivals across the globe,[2] by the UNHCR for World Refugee Day,[3] and at Banksy's Walled Off Hotel. The film earned Andersen the award for Best Director and Best Dramatic Short Film at the 2020 French Riviera Film Festival[4] and was short-listed for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 2020.[5]

As a producer Andersen is known for such films as Everest,[6] Lone Survivor,[7] 2 Guns, Escape Plan, and Broken City. His film The Flowers of War was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2011. Two of Andersen's films have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. First in 2012 with the Stephen Frears film Lay The Favorite, and then in 2015 with the Jared Hess-directed Don Verdean.[8][9][10][11]

Other projects include the Doug Liman film American Made starring Tom Cruise, the Martin Scorsese film Silence, starring Andrew Garfield and Liam Neeson, the Garry Marshall film Mother's Day, starring Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, and Kate Hudson.[12]


Early career[edit]

From 2005 to 2012 Andersen owned and operated The Utah Flash, an NBA G League franchise.[13] Andersen sold the team to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013.[14]

During his ownership tenure, the team had the highest attendance[15] and sponsorship revenue in the NBA G League.[16]

In 2008 Andersen hosted the Iranian National Basketball team as they trained for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[17] For his assistance in helping the Iranian Olympic Team, Andersen, along with then Deputy Commissioner of the NBA Adam Silver, received a medal of peace from the Iranian Basketball Association.

In 2009 the Chinese National Basketball Team awarded Andersen an award for the cooperation shown in allowing their National team access to train with the Utah Flash.

Andersen was one of the first sports owners to put a strong emphasis on recycling in-arena waste. For instituting the Flash Recycling Initiative, Andersen was awarded the Environmental Quality Award in Utah.[18]

In 2007 Andersen and famed architect Frank Gehry collaborated to design a community outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.[19][20] Andersen has publicly stated that his friendship with Mr. Gehry has had a huge impact on how he works and views creativity.[21]

In 1998, Andersen attended Brigham Young University. During his sophomore year at BYU, while working at a small film studio to pay for his education, he founded uSight, a technology company that created banking and transactional software for small businesses. In 2004, Inc. reported that the company was the second fastest growing company on its annual Inc. 500 list.[22] Shortly after Andersen sold and exited the company. Andersen was the sole shareholder and the sale was reported above $50M.[23] Following the sale he returned to school and graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from Brigham Young University.[24]

Activist[edit]

Andersen is the founder of 'The REEL Foundation' which he founded in 2021 with lifelong humanitarian and activist Dina Prior. The foundation uses art and storytelling to empower refugees and individuals from marginalized communities to share their stories through art.

From 2009 to 2019 Andersen visited refugees and internally displaced people in Syria, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Italy, Germany, France, and Mexico. In July 2017, in association with CARE, Andersen led a group of filmmakers including Shay Mitchell, Jason Beghe, and Tobias Schliessler to the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan to run a filmmaking bootcamp for Syrian teenagers. Their film Peace Please has been shown at Human Rights conferences around the world.

In 2010, three days after the earthquake that devastated the country of Haiti, Andersen traveled with a team of Doctors to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He spent 10 days working with doctors and aid workers and assisted in importing and disseminating millions in aid.[25] Upon his return Andersen raised money to help rebuild an orphanage on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.[26] While in Haiti USA Today listed Andersen's Twitter account as one of the top ten accounts to follow for updates from the country.[27]

In 2006 Andersen started the Flash Family Foundation to help children living below the poverty line with food, clothing, and education. The foundation was run by Andersen with the help of volunteers including basketball players from the Utah Flash and Utah Jazz.

While attending University, Andersen spent five years as an on-call volunteer for the Utah County Search and Rescue Team, part of the Utah County Sheriff's Department. His work included rescue and recovery in avalanche, water, ice, and mountain conditions.[28]

Filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "'Refugee' short film depicts Syrian calamity thru intimate saga". arts•meme. 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  2. ^ "Refugee / Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2020(SSFF & ASIA 2020)". www.shortshorts.org. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  3. ^ "Be a Hero for Refugees | USA for UNHCR". give.unrefugees.org. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  4. ^ "Winners 2020 – French Riviera Film Festival". 20 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  5. ^ "From a refugee camp visit to an Oscar-shortlisted film: how one director took his experience to the screen". The National. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  6. ^ "'Everest': Real-Life 'Everest' Author Jon Krakauer Talks Baltasar Kormakur's Film". 28 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Mark Wahlberg's 'Lone Survivor' Faced Skepticism on Financing Side". 24 December 2013.
  8. ^ "Park City, Ut-Jan 28: (L-R) Producer Brandt Andersen, Director Jared Hess and Dave Hunter Attend the "Don Verdean" Premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2015 in Park City, Utah. Stock Photo 281044898 : Shutterstock". Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  9. ^ "Lionsgate Acquires Jared Hess' 'Don Verdean' in Return of 'Napoleon Dynamite' Duo – Sundance". 21 January 2015.
  10. ^ "DREAM TEAM Don Verdean: -". Archived from the original on 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  11. ^ "Brandt Andersen". A Drink With. 24 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Timothy Olyphant, Shay Mitchell & More Join 'Mother's Day' Pic". 26 August 2015.
  13. ^ "The Next Mark Cuban? A BYU Campus Entrepreneur". 2 November 2008.
  14. ^ "Delaware State Basketball: 15 Remarkable Facts". Discover Walks Blog. 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  15. ^ "Kragthorpe: Flash upgraded from NBA's bush league to minor league". Archived from the original on 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  16. ^ "Sports Business Journal".
  17. ^ "Brandt Andersen, Basketball, Iran, Business and World Peace". ESPN.com. 31 July 2008.
  18. ^ "Sports Business Journal".
  19. ^ "Legendary architect agrees to design a big Lehi project". Deseret News. 20 January 2007.
  20. ^ "DesignTAXI : COVID-19, Product Design, Architecture, Furniture Design, Travel, Cats, Lifestyle, IKEA".
  21. ^ "Architect Plans for 450-Foot Hotel at the Point of the Mountain". KSL-TV. Salt Lake City, UT. January 31, 2007.
  22. ^ "Utah Local News - Salt Lake City News, Sports, Archive - The Salt Lake Tribune". sltrib.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-14. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  23. ^ "A Minor League Owner With Major League Aspirations". washingtonpost.com.
  24. ^ http://history.cfac.byu.edu/index.php/James_Brandt_Andersen
  25. ^ Choate-Nielsen, Amy (February 2, 2010). "Utahn Brandt Andersen replacing Haiti orphanage". Deseret News.
  26. ^ "Utah Flash Raise $20,000 for Haiti Relief Efforts | Salt City Hoops".
  27. ^ Helfrich, Brian (January 28, 2010). "Brandt Andersen Quietly Making A Difference Down In Haiti". Sports Business Daily. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  28. ^ "Eclectic Generosity". September 2008.
  29. ^ "Mark Wahlberg's 'Lone Survivor' Faced Skepticism on Financing Side". Variety. 24 December 2013.
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