2024
Generations
Diablo Ballet's 30th Anniversary Film
Music by Justin Levitt · Film by Walter Yamazaki
A 30-year retrospective focusing on the earlier years of Diablo Ballet and the recent development of the Diablo Ballet School for Dance and Dance for Parkinson's. A film by Walter Yamazaki with original music by Justin Levitt.
2024
Silver Telly Award, Music & Craft Directing
Bootleg the Movie
Four-hand piano improvisations on film
Justin Levitt · David Glass, pianos
What happens when two pianists sit down together with no plan, no score, and no safety net? Bootleg the Movie documents exactly that, a series of four-hand piano improvisations captured on film, raw and unedited, in real time. The film is an honest record of two musicians in conversation, finding themes, following them, losing them, and finding them again. It stands as one of the more unusual and compelling documents in contemporary piano music, and a testament to what improvisation can produce when the performers have the courage to simply listen.
2019
Line of Descent
Featured song contribution · Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Piano composition by Justin Levitt on "Akhian Tumko" · Vocals by Puja Purandare
Co-written with Manesh Judge and Ranjit S. Dhaliwal
A 2019 Indian crime drama starring Abhay Deol, Brendan Fraser, Ronit Roy, Neeraj Kabi, and Prem Chopra. Justin's piano composition appears on "Akhian Tumko," one of the featured songs on the official soundtrack, performed by vocalist Puja Purandare and co-written with Manesh Judge and Ranjit S. Dhaliwal. The album, anchored by composer Mario Grigorov's score, was released worldwide in 2020.
2018
Gold Telly Award, Music
2× Silver Telly Award
Spiritus
Diablo Ballet's 24th Anniversary Film
Music by Justin Levitt · Film by Walter Yamazaki · Produced with support from the Fleishhacker Foundation
An introspective journey of self-discovery. Spiritus premiered at the Diablo Ballet's 24th Anniversary Performance at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California. The film earned a Gold Telly Award for Music Composition and two Silver Telly Awards for Craft Directing and Craft Videography/Cinematography.
2017
Bronze Telly Award, Music
Libera
Diablo Ballet's 23rd Anniversary Film
Music by Justin Levitt · Film by Walter Yamazaki
CriticalDance called Libera "an exploration of identity, of life's purpose, of be-ing, and of dance-ness" (★★★★). Terez Rose of The Classical Girl described it as "gorgeously produced" (★★★★). Libera earned a 2017 Bronze Telly Award, the Divulge Dancers' Film Festival Jury Award, and the US Hollywood International Golden Films Award in the Music category.
2015 · Tribute Film
Waltward's Theme
Tribute to Edward M. Stegge
Music by Justin Levitt · Film by Walter Yamazaki
A short film honoring the career and retirement of Diablo Ballet dancer Edward M. Stegge, celebrating his many years of work promoting the arts and providing hope to young people. The title combines the names of the director (Walter Yamazaki) and the subject (Edward Stegge): Walter + Edward = Waltward. The solo piano version appears in Miracle, Vol. V.
