Alumni Spotlight: George Ellzey, Jr.
George Ellzey, Jr., a proud LINK alumnus from the Hales Franciscan Class of 2009, has some big news to share!
But first, some background: George had an amazing experience with LINK during high school, and his Mentor was extremely impactful in his life, modeling what being successful could look like, despite a difficult upbringing. George feels that LINK changed his life when his Mentor Nancy recognized his creative writing potential and helped him improve his skills. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and theater from Bowdoin College in 2013—and he finds that the skills he learned through LINK still help him today in his work as a freelance screenwriter, director, and producer.
Back in 2022, George was in school again, this time at DePaul University, pursuing his master’s degree. He shared his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) thesis film Cottage Grove with LINK Unlimited Scholars while he was crowdfunding. Thankfully, LINK was able to lend support to George’s project, he met his fundraising goal, and he was able to produce his film and ultimately earn his MFA in directing for film and television from DePaul University.
Now, three years later, we’re so proud to announce that Cottage Grove has won numerous awards and was recently acquired by AMC+! The film received praise at several prestigious film festivals, both locally and nationally, and was streamed worldwide in February as part of AMC’s Black History Month programming. The film was featured in AMC’s “Future of Film: Chicago XL Rising Stars” series, premiering as Episode 4 of the series, spotlighting the next generation of filmmaking talent. George also enjoyed hosting Cottage Grove screenings at the historic Music Box Theater in Chicago in February.
Cottage Grove follows a young, black man (Emmanuel) as he attempts to communicate with his estranged, stroke-afflicted father in a South Side parking lot. Loosely inspired by his own experiences with his father, the film explores themes of Black masculinity, fathers and sons, and the power of the truth to heal. Cottage Grove is expected to resonate with fans of slice-of-life, character-driven narratives, combining stunning performances by Patrick Agada and Sean Blake, with breathtaking cinematography by Gary Truex Walker II. Check it out on social media @Cottagegroveproductions.
George said, “I’m so grateful to LINK Unlimited Scholars for being part of my journey, and I’m so proud to share this exciting moment with you all!”
Congratulations, George!
