WHO WE ARE

David Magdael & Associates (DMAG-PR) specializes in publicity and marketing of documentary and independent films. Over the past 20 years, Magdael and his firm has worked on a number of award-winning films and documentaries including: THE QUEEN OF BASKETBALL; LIKE A ROLLING STONE – THE LIFE & TIMES OF BEN FONG TORRES; BAD AXE; FREE CHOL SOO LEE; MIJA; FOR SAMA; ASCENSION; MR. SOUL!; 76 DAYS; IN THE SAME BREATH; THE APOLLO; TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM; HUNGER WARD; LA 92; THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE; TRY HARDER!; COURAGE; WALK RUN CHA CHA; SARIA; LIFEBOAT; LITTLE MISS SUMO; BLACK SHEEP; CHANGING THE GAME; MUCHO MUCHO AMOR; A THOUSAND CUTS; MOTHERLAND; HOOLIGAN SPARROW; SOFTIE; PIER KIDS; BUCK; LINGUA FRANCA; BLUE NOTE RECORDS: BEYOND THE NOTES; MAX RICHTER’S SLEEP; WHEN WE WERE BULLIES;WUHAN WUHAN; IN THE SAME BREATH; THE NEUTRAL GROUND; UNAPOLOGETIC; FERGUSON RISES; WHO WE ARE: A CHRONICLE OF RACISM IN AMERICA; A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION; HUNGER WARD; SOFTIE; 63 UP; HALSTON; CRAZY RICH ASIANS; SCIENCE FAIR; GENERAL MAGIC; CALL HER GANDA; UNITED SKATES; BISBEE 17; RUBEN BLADES IS NOT MY NAME; SAMMY DAVIS; JR: IVE GOTTA BE ME; ROLL RED ROLL; CLIVE DAVIS - THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES; SOUTHWEST OF SALEM; MCQUEEN; NATIONAL BIRD; THE EAGLE HUNTRESS; SONITA; MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE; IF A TREE FALLS; LANDFILL HARMONIC; FINDING VIVAN MAIER; EVOLUTION OF A CRIMINAL; RICH HILL; THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY; ALIVE INSIDE; PARTICLE FEVER; THE SQUARE; AMERICAN PROMISE; BLOOD BROTHER; 1D:3D - THIS IS US; A RIVER CHANGES COURSE; ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW; 5 BROKEN CAMERAS; LEAVE IT ON THE FLOOR; IF A TREE FALLS; WASTELAND; BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!*; BEING ELMO; SEMPER FI: ALWAYS FAITHFUL; LAST TRAIN HOME; THE OATH; THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES; MAD HOT BALLROOM; CONTROL ROOM; TROUBLE THE WATER; THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS; SUPER SIZE ME and others for theatrical runs, streaming, broadcast and Oscar and Emmy campaigns.

DMAGPR excels in strategy planning and implementation and working with new first-time filmmakers and veterans alongside the film’s sales and production teams. Other festivals include SXSW, TRIBECA, AFI DOCS, AFI FEST, TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, HOT DOCS, SF FILM FESTIVAL, IDFA, MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL, DOC NYC, BERLINALE and more.

Owner/CEO Magdael is a longtime member of Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and is the co-director of the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival since 1997 and is also on the Advisory Board for SXSW. He serves as a mentor at the Sundance Institute Documentary Producers Lab and with other institutions, universities, festivals, media organizations including IDFA, AFI Docs, Film Independent, SXSW, AFI FEST, OUTFEST, CAAMFEST,IDA, USC, NYU, AMPAS and more.

In addition to PR/Marketing strategies, Magdael has become involved with films in various producer capacities. These include the following:

76 DAYS – Co-Executive Producer – Emmy Award Winner; Peabody Award Winner; Oscar Shortlist – PARAMOUNT +
MR. SOUL! – Co-Associate Producer – Critics Choice Award; Peabody Award; HBO MAX
LIKE A ROLLING STONE: THE LIFE & TIMES OF BEN FONG TORRES – Co-Producer – Critics Choice Honor; Tribeca Film Festival; Mill Valley Film Festival; Now on NETFLIX
TRY HARDER! – Co-Associate Producer – Sundance Film Festival; PBS
PIER KIDS – Associate Producer – GLAAD Award Nominee; OutFest; PBS; Criterion Collection
RAMBLIN’ FREAK – Associate Producer – SXSW Film Festival – AMAZON PRIME
DROPS IN THE OCEAN – Executive Producer

In 2020 during the Covid lockdown and the killing of George Floyd, Magdael and colleague Vince Johnson created an online film platform called OPEN YOUR EYES &THINK MF (OYEATMF) to support films and filmmakers that may not fit within the current distribution/exhibition system. The goal is to provide access to films that are challenging and changing the landscape of truth telling and story creation. These filmmakers include BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other content creators who are on the margins. OYEATMF provides exhibition opportunities, resources, and the creation of meaningful discussions for and by filmmakers who are challenging us to think. Working with cinemas across the country, they were able to screen films for audiences while everything was in lockdown.

The films- the Tribeca hit MR. SOUL! and Sundance award winner SOFTIE were the first films to be launched in this virtual cinema platform with over 90 theaters collaborating. MR. SOUL! went on to win a Peabody Award and Critics Choice Documentary Award and IDA Award for Best Music Docu. It now lives on HBO MAX. SOFTIE qualified for the Oscars and went on to live on PBS and received accolades from critics and audiences.

“Establishing OPEN YOUR EYES & THINK MF was our response to being in lockdown and a way for us to participate in the changing landscape of film and content during a time as we were responding to the George Floyd murder and our nation’s reckoning with racism and White supremacy,” states Magdael. “It was important to have people hear from a leader in the civil rights movement from the 70’s and be inspired by Ellis Haizlip – the subject of MR. SOUL! right now. We felt that if we could share the film and his life and make it available for folks at home so that they too could be encouraged to continue to make change, this is how we could participate. Providing this avenue gave the film a much-needed lift and was able to achieve critical accolades and feature stories in NY Times, New Yorker and on NPR for the film and filmmaker. Our goal is still to provide access to content that may not fit in or be traditional enough for exhibitors. When folks asked what you did during the pandemic lockdown – we can rightfully say we provided access to films that inspired. It’s important to be part of the change.”