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 Petitoâ€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 Actorâ€s Guild awards for his work on The Sopranos as Paulie “Walnuts”, plays Petitoâ€s mentor, Rocco, while Karina Arroyave – known for her work on televisionâ€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.