Filmmaker:
James Lantz:
A Still, Small Paw is written and will be directed by James Lantz, an Off Broadway playwright, award-winning filmmaker, and activist who has spent decades creating activism-fueled projects.
As a teenager he got his start as a country-radio DJ at the same small-town station where Patsy Cline first sang, where he learned the trade from a cast of unforgettable old-timers. It also gave him the opportunity to meet film legend Elizabeth Taylor, and to explain to her how a pig scramble worked.
Before turning fully to film and theater, James taught high-school Agriculture in rural Virginia and was honored as Teacher of the Year.
He has written, directed and produced over 300 commercial and corporate films, many for Fortune 500 Companies such as American Airlines, Alamo Rental Cars, Amtrak and Mobil Oil.
As a playwright, James’s work has been produced Off-Broadway, played nationally and internationally including London and Cape Town, SA. New York theater critic Weston Clay called his award-winning LGBTQ play, THE BUS,“Theater magic!” and British Theatre Guide said it was “fascinating!” On its premiere in Vermont the Burlington Free Press called it, “Extraordinary!”
He recently completed a national micro-movie supporting trans and LGBTQ Youth called, NOT LOSING YOU that has nearly 3 million views on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
In 2024, James was arrested, jailed, and convicted of protesting a MAGA anti-LGBTQ state senator who ignored the suicide deaths of five trans youth in his own country. At his sentencing he read a statement supporting trans and LGBTQ Youth; he was convicted of “criminal mischief” and ordered to pay $17,000.
More info at James’s Angry Gay Grandpa web series.
Four years ago he came out publicly as gay on National Coming Out Day. You can read his Coming Out letter to his wife here.
James is also a cancer survivor. He’s been public about his diagnosis eight years ago with a rare cancer that left him partially disabled. His most recent scans show no evidence of cancer.
Sketches (top to bottom):
Filmmaker 1. James Lantz runs a web series, Angry Gay Grandpa, James grew up a closeted teen in rural Virginia, in 2024 James was arrested, jailed and convicted of “criminal mischief in Harrisburg PA for protesting a MAGA anti-LGBTQ state senator that Lantz held culpable in the suicide deaths of 5 trans and non-binary youth.
