Michael Collins
Director/Producer
Michael founded Thoughtful Robot Productions in 2003, committed to sharing stories that inspire, connect, and galvanize change. He is a four-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and on the board of Telluride Mountainfilm festival.
Michael’s first film, GIVE UP TOMORROW, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011 where it won the Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Best New Director. It was selected for the Puma Impact Award in 2012 and won 18 awards worldwide. ALMOST SUNRISE, chronicles the transformative journey of two Iraq war veterans. It was the first documentary about Moral Injury, has had 500+ screenings across the U.S., winning six major awards.
In 2022 Michael released two films. The first, a feature documentary he produced, wrote, and edited called DELIKADO, an environmental thriller set in the Philippines. Michael’s other 2022 film BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOR was made for Guardian Documentaries about a trailblazing rock band, a courageous fan, and a queer activist’s daunting battle against religious extremists. The film premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.
Michael spent nearly 3 years in Australia during the pandemic where he edited two films, completed a screenplay, co-founded the Queer Consciousness Collective in Byron Bay, learned to free dive and attempted surfing far too often. He is presently directing a new documentary feature set in the US, India and Australia, about INTUITION, and in development on a narrative feature film, a queer drama fantasy, BIRDS OF BYRON SHIRE.
Marty Syjuco
Producer
Marty Syjuco is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer dedicated to stories that drive awareness and change. He produced Give Up Tomorrow, which premiered at Tribeca, won 18 international awards, and aired globally on POV and BBC, and produced Almost Sunrise, a New York Times Critics’ Pick that brought national attention to veterans’ mental health. His producing credits also include the GLAAD Award-winning Call Her Ganda and awards-winning Delikado. Marty’s work has been supported by Sundance, Tribeca Film Institute, BBC Storyville, and The Fledgling Fund. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Originally from the Philippines, Marty moved to New York City in 2000 and worked in film distribution at Focus Features, booking the theatrical releases of independent, commercial and Academy Award-winning films. In 2004 he took a leap of faith to pursue his passion: documentary filmmaking.
In 2005, he produced the one-hour film Atrapado en la injusticia broadcast on Spanish national television. He developed it into the feature-length documentary, Give Up Tomorrow. The film was an ITVS co-production and commissioned by BBC Storyville, with support from the Sundance Documentary Film Program, CAAM, Tribeca Film Institute, The Fledgling Fund, Bertha Foundation and BRITDOC, among others. To date it has broadcast in over 10 territories, including BBC, DR, SVT, Canal+ and as part of POV’s 25th anniversary season.
In addition to being nominated for an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism, Give Up Tomorrow received recognition from the Grierson British Awards, Cinema Eye Honors, Amnesty International’s Media Awards, and the Puma Impact Award. Recently, in March 2015, the film had a global broadcast on the BBC World News, and had over 30 million viewers worldwide.