OFFICIAL SELECTION

“MIKE’S STORY” Written by LEA FAULKNER (US)

BIO:

Lea Faulkner’s journey began in California, where she did a lot of acting, to a radio show in Greeley makes for an interesting story. “I went to Zina Provondi School and my acting coach was the head acting coach at Paramount Studios, so that gave me my start. Then my dad’s friend was a good friend of Bob Hope. Through that contact, I was able to do many projects with Bob Hope. I was an ingénue at seventeen and did many fun things in film and theatre.” Lea was “up” for parts in quite a few television productions, but none of them ever came through. “I loved drama and was a real drama queen. I thought I was going to be a Broadway star.”

When Lea got married, her career plans changed. “I started a day care center. I still did some acting though. When I would get a call to audition, I would dress up all of the kids, (I usually took care of between four and six of them) and take them with me on the interviews. One time both my son and I got a job out of it.”

Lea and her family lived at a dairy. “My husband was in the dairy business and had a chance to buy a farm in Greeley. I was acting in a Christian soap opera at the time and had to give it up to move to Greeley. That was in 1976. We’ve been here ever since.”

Never one to sit still, Lea started her own business, The Sport Closet, a retail store that specialized in workout clothes. Then she started The Dance Centre from London, which handled hot bright colours of Spandex and went on to open the Face Place, a Paula Lynn Skin Care shop. As if that wasn’t enough, she and her husband started the Greeley Charter Business, an airplane charter company. During this time, she continued her pursuit of acting with JF Images as her agent. She also served on the Greeley City Council for four years. In 1993, she began the “Lea Live” radio show, which started out as a forum for her local listeners. Now over two million daily listeners hear her program.

“MIKE’S STORY” Written by LEA FAULKNER (Genre: Factual drama)

SHORT SYNOPSIS:

Two lovers brought together by fate fight through trials and tribulations to keep their promise with God.

STORY OUTLINE:

Mike Faulkner and Lea Catucci came from two different walks of life to unite at a young age. Mike came from a hardworking agricultural family who won the heart of a whimsical city girl. Lea’s father maintained a clandestine link with the mafia that wasn't spoken about. Their love was tested after Mike suffered a tragedy and was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) which then led to complete paralysis. Through the pain and hardship, it was their "promise to God" in their successful 3rd marriage to each other that kept their love alive.