Joe Burke is the writer/director of Burt (2025), starring Oliver Cooper and Burt Berger. Shot on a $7,000 budget in just 7 days with a 3-person crew, the story follows Burt, a 69-year old street musician living with Parkinson’s, and Sammy, a wayward young man from New York who shows up with the bombshell news that he is Burt’s long lost son.
The film premiered at Cinequest in San Jose to critical acclaim including the award for Best Narrative Feature: Comedy. It later won Best Picture and Best Acting Ensemble awards at the Phoenix Film Festival. On May 3rd, it had its LA premiere at the Fine Arts theater in Beverly Hills, which drew a packed crowd. Executive Producer David Gordon Green moderated a panel that consisted of Burt, Steven Levy, Oliver, composer Tim Rutili and other cast/crew.
Joe Burke has also made a plethora of short films that can be found on his YouTube channel. One of the shorts, Another Cancer Movie (2013), features Burt Berger in a supporting role. Fast forward to Burt (2025) - Burke and Cooper crafted a film loosely based on Burt’s real life, shining a light and keeping the focus on Burt’s incredible character and not his diagnosis. The decision was made to portray the film in black and white, which adds great depth to the film’s already heavy emotional value.
Stay tuned for upcoming screening announcements, including another LA showing in June! For more info, visit Burtthemovie.com for up-to-date news.
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