She discovered she had breast cancer. Filmmaker A.W. Gryphon filmed a feature documentary about understanding the disease and celebrating the people who are fighting and surviving.
Video Content: A.W. Gryphon (2014)
At the Napa Valley Film Festival, SIDEWALKS host Veronica Castro talked to the filmmaker, who discovered, in 2011, a lump in her breast. She was diagnosed with stage IIIA breast cancer. Working in the film industry, Gryphon decided to record a visual account of what she and other people are going through. With the help from the Hollywood community and beyond, she directed, co-produced and wrote “What the F@#- is Cancer and Why Does Everybody Have It?,” a feature documentary about understanding the disease (in its many forms) and celebrating the people who are fighting and surviving cancer every day.
Mini-Biography:
Allison W. Gryphon’s first feature film, “La Cucina” starring Christina Hendricks, Leisha Hailey, Joaquim de Almeida, Rachel Hunter, was released on Showtime in December of 2010. As the screenwriter, “La Cucina” won ‘Best Picture’ at both The Beloit International Film Festival and the Los Angeles Backlot Film Festival, as well as ‘Best Screenplay’ at the Bragacine Festival International de Cinema in Portugal. Her first novel is the supernatural thriller, “Blood Moon,” which is the first book in the “Witches Moon” trilogy. In 2010, Gryphon launched a movie and TV insider interview column called “Monday Morning Hollywood” at Examiner.com. In January of 2011, she began the a flash fiction blog, “A.W. Gryphon’s Bits & Pieces,” which serves as an outlet for a wide array of genres and works. Additionally, Gryphon created The Why? Foundation. Some of the films she has worked on include “Vertical Limit,” “Daddy Day Care,” “TRON: Legacy,” “Race to Witch Mountain,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” Ms. Gryphon passed away on November 14th 2016.
Interview Credits:
Recorded: November 13, 2014
Host / Producer: Veronica Castro
Videographer / Editor: Richard R. Lee
Special Thanks To: The Why? Foundation, BWR Public Relations, Napa Valley Film Festival