A graduate of Cornell University, Georgie Roland studied further at The London School of Economics and at the University of Southern California Graduate Film Program. After winning award s for both writing and directing, yet disillusioned by Hollywood, he returned to his home town in Pennsylvania and began working blue collar jobs. Based on his experiences, he has several projects in development, including his first narrative feature to be set in Northeastern PA, as well as a novel based on his 2 years of experience as the Night Shift Supervisor in the kitchen of a Pennsylvania County Prison . His first documentary feature, "The Town That Was," is scheduled to be released this year. Co-directed with his creative partner, Chris Perkel, the film is a character study of one of the last 11 remaining residents of Centralia, Pennsylvania, a town ravaged by an underground mine fire.
Played college football.Raised in the small town of Dunmore, Pennsylvania (population 13,000). 1993 graduate of Dunmore High School.Educated at Cornell University and the London School of Economics; went to USC Film School.Favorite authors are Charles Bukowski and Carson McCullers.Is an accomplished pool player.Was senior class president of his high school.Favorite musicians are Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Bruce Springsteen (his first film was inspired by the Springsteen song "My Father's House").Is asthmatic.Loves the band Oasis.Wrote eight screenplays in his 20s, all of which remain unproduced.By the age of 30, held over 25 jobs, both blue collar and white, including high school football coach, day trader on Wall Street, Congressional Aide in Washington, DC, assistant at Miramax Films in New York, laborer for a moving company in Ithaca, film critic for an internet start-up company in Santa Monica, paralegal in downtown Los Angeles, clerk at Blockbuster Video, babysitter in West London, teacher in the South Bronx, a line picker in a Pennsylvania factory, for two years a Veterinary Technician at a Dog and Cat Hospital, and for another two years the night shift supervisor in the kitchen of Pennsylvania County Prison.Is a Coca-Cola Scholar.Friends with Iranian filmmaker Rafi Pitts.
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In 1962, a trash fire ignited a seam of anthracite coal beneath Centralia, Pennsylvania, a once thriving mining town of over 1600 people. By the mid 1980's, giant plumes of smoke and deadly carbon monoxide gases billowed from fissures in the ground, the local highway cracked and collapsed, trees were bleached white and petrified, as the fire continued to rage unchecked. It wasn't until a young boy nearly died after falling into a smoldering mine subsidence that the government was pressed into action. After estimating the cost of extinguishing the fire at over a half a billion dollars, the government opted to raze the town and relocate its residents. Today, 11 die-hards remain. Filmed over a period of five years with interviews ranging from former residents to Congressmen, The Town That Was is an intimate portrait of John Lokitis, the youngest remaining Centralian, and his quixotic fight to keep alive a hometown that has literally disintegrated under his feet...