Startup.com

Colour, DIGIBETA
USA, 2001, 108 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

An intimate, behind-the-scenes view of the recent dot com mania, Startup.com follows the adventures of childhood friends Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman as they create govWorks.com, an award-winning website that lets citizens interact with their local governments. Within a year, the two young entrepreneurs raise 60 million dollars, hire hundreds of employees and rub shoulders with President Clinton. But, as the stock market tests the strength of their business, they wrestle with growing pains, tackle technical difficulties, charter the unpredictable venture capital waters and outsmart copycat competition. But, in the end, none of these challenges prepare Kaleil and Tom for their own conflict over the management of govWorks.com, a conflict that will not only put their company and their jobs at risk, but will irrevocably endanger their life-long friendship. A classic story about friendship and values at the dawn of the Internet Age. D. A. Pennebaker is the producer of the film, but his remarkable style also comes through clearly as he stands behind the camera, an invisible witness to the whole story.

About the director

Chris Hegedus (b. 1952), director, cinematographer, editor, producer, began co-directing with D. A. Pennebaker in the mid-seventies. She has since partnered him on a host of acclaimed films, including 1993’s The War Room, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary. Most recently Hegedus completed a film about political satirist Al Franken, Al Franken: God Spoke. Films as director: Energy War (1977), Town Bloody Hall (1979), DeLorean (1981), Rockaby (1983), Jimi Plays Monterey (1986), 101 (1989), Jimi Hendrix Live (1989), The Music Tells You (1992), Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock (1992), The War Room (1993), Keine Zeit (1996), Moon Over Broadway (1997), Down from the Mountain (2000), Only the Strong Survive (2003).
Jehane Noujaim (b. 1975) attended Harvard University. She works as a cinematographer, director, producer, writer and editor. Filmography: Control Room (2004).