From the tick-tock suspense of a courtroom drama to the breathlessness of a psychological thriller, director GARY FLEDER (Directed by) consistently keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. Fleder has made his mark as a craftsman of thrillers, with expertise ranging from crime and action dramas to science fiction and dark comedies.

Fleder’s feature film career began on the opposite side of the law, with the blackly comic Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, produced by Miramax Films in 1995. The film, which starred Andy Garcia as the leader of a group of criminals with a price on their heads, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and garnered Fleder two awards from the Cognac Festival du Film Policier.

Since then, Fleder has honed his skills and kept audiences mesmerized with thrillers such as Kiss the Girls (1997), starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman; Don’t Say a Word (2001), which introduced Brittany Murphy to a wider audience, and starred Michael Douglas; Impostor (2001), a sci-fi thriller based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, starring Gary Sinise, Madeleine Stowe and Vincent D'Onofrio; and Runaway Jury (2003), starring John Cusack and Academy Award’ winners Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman.

Fleder also directed D'Onofrio in a Peabody Award-winning performance in the 1996 "Subway" episode of Homicide: Life on the Street, and collaborated with producer Tom Hanks to direct an episode of the Emmy Award-winning miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon.

Fleder’s career as a television director began in 1993, with an award-winning episode of Tales from the Crypt. Since then, he has directed pilots and key episodes of several dramas, including L.A. Doctors, Blind Justice, The Evidence and, most recently, October Road, Finnegan and Life on Mars for ABC. Through his overall deal with ABC Television Studios, Fleder was an executive producer on October Road and the pilots for Finnegan and Life on Mars.

A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Fleder is a member of the Directors Guild’s Special Projects Committee. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Express

Directed by Gary Fleder

 

Synopsis

Based on a true story, The Express follows the extraordinary life of college football hero Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. His fight for equality and respect forever changed the face of American sports, and his story continues to inspire new generations.

Raised in poverty in Pennsylvania coal-mining country, Davis hurdled social and economic obstacles to become one of the greatest running backs in college football history. Under the guidance of legendary Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid), he became a hero who superseded Jim Brown’s achievements and set records that stand to this day.

Decorated veteran Schwartzwalder was a Southerner with a single vision of a national championship and hardened ideas about how the world worked. But though he and Davis clashed mightily, he taught the player everything he knew about football, just as Davis helped him learn the true meaning of victory.

As the growing civil rights movement divided the country in the ‘60s, Davis became a symbol for achievement that transcended race. Refusing to flinch from others’ prejudices, he achieved all his goals—until he faced a challenge that would make most men crumble. He joined the ranks of black pioneers by teaching a generation tolerance, inspiring a movement that smashed barriers on and off the field.

THE EXPRESS
USA/2008/120min/HDCAM/Color
DIRECTOR: Gary Fleder
WRITER: Charles Leavitt
PRODUCER: John Davis
FEATURING: Dennis Quaid, Rob Brown, Omar Benson Miller, Clancy Brown and Charles S. Dutton

Based on the Book “Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express” by: Robert Gallagher