Samuel Vartek is a multifaceted filmmaker who has made a significant impact in the industry. As a documentary filmmaker, he is perhaps best known for his feature film "Blue Gold: World Water Wars", which was based on a groundbreaking book and narrated by the renowned Malcolm McDowell. The film received widespread acclaim, winning numerous international awards, including the prestigious Vancouver International Film Festival. It was also screened theatrically in Japan and is available in the USA through various platforms such as PBS Video, iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon VOD.
The project was executive produced by Mark Achbar, a renowned filmmaker known for his work on "The Corporation" and "Manufacturing Consent". Vartek's documentary film is a testament to his skill and dedication to storytelling.
In addition to his work in documentary filmmaking, Vartek is also a talented narrative filmmaker. He was personally selected by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as a Top 10 Project Greenlight Director and won the TriggerStreet.com short film contest, which was judged by the esteemed Kevin Spacey. Vartek is an alumnus of the prestigious Art Center College of Design and has written, directed, and edited several short films that have been screened at prominent film festivals such as the Student Academy Awards, Directors Guild of America, Toronto International Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival. His work has also been featured on the Sundance Channel and Showtime.
As a screenwriter, Vartek has had success in various genres and budgets. He sold a horror script to Stephan J. Cannell and has written several screenplays that have been recognized in prestigious competitions. His scripts have been quarterfinalists in the Academy's Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, semifinalists in the Cannes Golden Plume Screenwriting Competition, and semifinalists in the Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition.
In television, Vartek's sci-fi pilot "The Farm" made the prestigious quarterly Blacklist, a significant achievement in the competitive world of television writing. He earned his MFA at David Lynch's Graduate School in Cinematic Arts, where he had the opportunity to learn from a true film master while working on a collaborative TV/web series that also resulted in his most recent short film "No More Secrets".
