Terry Luke Podnar is a screenwriter and producer based in Akron, Ohio. A graduate of Kent State University, Terry’s love for storytelling began in childhood, when he began filming his own independent movies. While life took him in a different direction — founding and successfully running a business — his creative spark never faded.

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In 2021, after selling his company, Terry was diagnosed with liver cancer. In the face of a life-altering challenge, he returned to his earliest passion: writing. Since then, he has penned six award-winning feature screenplays and five short scripts. His work has been recognized by leading competitions, with The Red Zone named a Finalist in the New York International Screenplay Awards and listed on Coverfly’s prestigious Red List. His screenplay Broken Worlds has been optioned by Pollack Films.

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Terry founded Podnar Philm Productions under the mentorship of veteran producer Jean-François Cavelier, with the mission of producing powerful, character-driven stories for the screen. He is currently a producer on the feature film Because of Us, now in pre-production, and is developing a personal biopic script about his journey with cancer.