Family on Board, written and directed by George Pogatsia, may be short in length but boasts a cast tailored for the big-screen. The film features a stellar, hand-selected cast who collectively have garnered numerous Golden Globe, Emmy, SAG and Academy Award nominations and wins.

Pogatsia, who also produced and stars in Family on Board, plays Mike Petito – a family man and biker who receives a questionable prison sentence. On creating the motion picture, Pogatsia states, “The minute I finished the Family on Board script, I knew I had to direct this story.”

Supporting Pogatsia in bringing this compelling New York story to life is a lineup of celebrated talent.

Four-time Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts plays the overzealous prosecutor pushing Petito’s conviction. The biker’s defense attorney is played by Matthew Cowles, a two time Daytime Emmy nominee. Beloved character actor Tony Sirico, who won two Screen Actor’s Guild awards for his work on The Sopranos as Paulie “Walnuts”, plays Petito’s mentor, Rocco, while Karina Arroyave – known for her work on television’s 24 and in films such as Academy Award winner Crash, Falling Down and Dangerous Minds – plays his distraught wife, Yvette.

The esteemed cast has been nominated for, or won, more than a dozen major awards, combined. “I enjoyed the challenge of tackling my character, Mike Petito from a physical standpoint, friends and family hardly recognized me.” Pogatsia said.

Reuniting with Pogatsia is executive producer and actor Michael Mazzeo, who plays Carmine, a career criminal that escorts Petito to jail and instigates his plot. Also making significant contributions to the film are co-producer Jesse R. Tendler and critically acclaimed cinematographer Jay Silver.

Beginning early this fall the film shot on location in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey City wrapped September 27th.

Pogatsia is a long-time student of renowned acting coach Sheila Gray. He honed his craft in over twenty arthouse films. His television credits include Law & Order and The Sopranos. He is slated to star in the feature film “Indigo”, this November as we prepare for Family on Board.