Hermes Magazine Article "Second Act"
MATTHEW KALLIS ’86 heard Oprah before he saw her. He’d been asked to attend the Sundance Film Festival for the announcement that OWN, Oprah Winfrey’s TV network, had chosen his documentary film, Most Valuable Players, as a charter member of her new documentary club —the film counterpart to the famous Oprah’s Book Club.
Kallis didn’t know, however, that the pop culture queen was attending the event herself. At one point during the announcement party, he and producing partner Christopher Lockhart noticed the crowd growing outside.
“I heard this huge scream and turned around. Suddenly, a few feet from me, was Oprah Winfrey,” Kallis says. “The room was going insane. I said, ‘um, hi, my name is Matthew Kallis.’ She said, ‘I know. You directed Most Valuable Players. I love your movie!’ And she wrapped her arms around me.”
Kallis chuckles at the memory, the disbelief still in his voice. “It was like being Charlie in the chocolate factory and being given the golden ticket. It was amazing.