Laddie: The Man Behind The Movies

Filmmaker Amanda Ladd-Jones embarks on a journey to better understand her father, Alan Ladd, Jr., known to friends and colleagues as Laddie, the understated studio chief and Oscar-winning producer behind films such as Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Braveheart, Thelma & Louise, and so many others. During his 50-year career, Laddie worked with world-famous filmmakers and actors and brought to life some of the most influential films of our time. Known for making risky choices, betting on talent, and trusting the directors he hired, Laddie created pioneering opportunities for women and minorities, both on-screen and behind the camera. In Laddie, interviewees including George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard and Morgan Freeman sit down with Amanda. Together, they offer an inside look at their groundbreaking films, and through their collective lens, we see how Laddie’s intelligence, kindness, and unflagging faith in the people he hired turned this private everyman into one of the most successful movie moguls in Hollywood history. (Napa Valley Film Festival)