Chris Bashinelli

Chris moderating the United Nations International Day of Peace, 2011

Christopher Stephen Peter “Bash” Bashinelli is an American actor, producer, explorer, and television host.[1] He is best known as the executive producer and host of the television series, Bridge the Gap, which currently airs on PBS [2] and the National Geographic channel.[3] Bashinelli is also known for being one of the youngest people [4] to ever moderate an event at the United Nations General Assembly Hall.[5]

Early life

Christopher Bashinelli was born on November 10, 1986 to Stephen and Florence Bashinelli, who are, respectively, of Italian and Lebanese descent.[6] Chris was born and raised in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York [7] and attended Xaverian High School. He attended Marymount Manhattan College and graduated in 2008 with a BA in Theatre Arts.[8]

Acting career

Bashinelli has appeared on television (The Sopranos, 2007) and in several films: How to Grow a Fig Tree (2007), Knock Knock (2007), Last Day of Summer (2009), Take Off (2009), and All Screwed Up (2009).[9]

United Nations

In 2010 Bashinelli moderated the Launch of the International Year of Youth in the United Nations General Assembly Hall with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.[10] In 2011, at 24 years old, Bashinelli became the youngest male[11] to moderate the United Nations International Day of Peace.[5]

Bridge the Gap

Chris, right, filming in Mongolia for National Geographic

In 2007, at age 20 Bashinelli went to Tanzania as a part of a study abroad program. When he returned he developed the documentary short, Bridge the Gap: Tanzania (2009), in an attempt to show a positive view of Tanzania and its people.[6] This film premiered at the Zanzibar International Film Festival in Tanzania in 2009.[12]

Following the completion of Bridge the Gap: Tanzania, Bashinelli launched the production company Bridge the Gap TV. Bridge the Gap TV focuses on telling the stories of everyday life in a positive way from areas around the world that often receive negative media attention.[13]

Bridge the Gap TV has produced four episodes of the Bridge the Gap series in addition to Tanzania that are currently airing on PBS[2] and the National Geographic Channel (3). Episodes include Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Haiti, Uganda and Mongolia.[3]

National Geographic Young Explorer

In 2012 Bashinelli was named a National Geographic Young Explorer,[1] which awards grants to help fund projects “supporting new generations of archaeologists, anthropologists, astronomers, conservationists, ecologists, geographers, geologists, marine scientists, adventurers, storytellers, and pioneers.[14]” Bashinelli used his grant to help fund Bridge the Gap to Mongolia, where he lived as a nomad.[4]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Break the Addiction: An Inconvenient Truth Himself TV Documentary
2007 Knock Knock Tommy Movie
2007 How to Grow a Fig Tree Michael Short Movie
2007 The Sopranos Kevin Episode: "Kennedy and Heidi"
2009 Last Day of Summer Skateboarder Movie
2009 Take Off (2009 short film) Ernie Short Movie
2009 Bridge the Gap: Tanzania (Pilot) Himself Executive Producer, TV Documentary
2011 Bridge the Gap to Uganda Himself Executive Producer, TV Documentary
2012 Bridge the Gap to Pine Ridge Himself Executive Producer, TV Documentary

References

  1. 1 2 "Chris Bashinelli, Storyteller/Cross-Cultural Explorer/TV Host Information, Facts, News, Photos". National Geographic. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  2. 1 2 "Bridge the Gap to Pine Ridge". PBS. 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  3. 1 2 "Bridge The Gap - National Geographic Channel". Natgeotv.com.au. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  4. 1 2 "American Way :: May 2013 — Ink eMagazines". Ink-live.com. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  5. 1 2 "United Nations Webcast - International Day of Peace: Student observance "Peace and democracy: Make your voice heard"". Unmultimedia.org. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  6. 1 2 "Interview with Chris Bashinelli | The Global Citizens' Initiative". Theglobalcitizensinitiative.org. 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  7. ↑ "Tune in as an Eagle Scout expands his worldview". Scouting magazine. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  8. ↑ "Marymount Manhattan College : Seventy-First Street : Alumni Magazine" (PDF). Mmm.edu. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  9. ↑ "Chris Bashinelli". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  10. ↑ "International Year of Youth to Be Launched Today at Headquarters, on theme of 'Dialogue and Mutual Understanding' | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". Un.org. 2010-08-12. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  11. ↑ "Bridge the Gap to Pine Ridge Premiers on PBS July 19th". Tulalip News. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  12. ↑ "Murmure - Zanzibar International Film Festival 2009 : le palmarès". Africultures. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  13. ↑ "PRX". Beta.prx.org. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  14. ↑ "Young Explorers Grants, Funding Information". National Geographic. Retrieved 2015-09-26.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 4/30/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.