Passions + Philosophies

It was forbidden for U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba, but I was strongly motivated by the very fact that visits were verboten. Also, I was an avid Jack London enthusiast by that time. He had traveled to Cuba on his honeymoon and had written a short story based on his visit. And that story was just embedded in my brain – I wanted to see the places he had mentioned.

My mother first sparked my interest in art and collectibles. She was an avid collector – particularly of antique doll houses. That presented something of a dilemma when it came to display, given she had three sons and no daughters.

“He stayed with us,” says Hand. “He didn’t just get our film off the ground – he taught us everything there is to know about operating agreements and securing financing. He introduced us to partners, to producers we’ll work with for our entire professional lives. His encouragement and mentorship gave us the confidence we needed to negotiate with city leaders on our film productions. He's not just a film producer – he’s a Renaissance man, a great patron of the arts, like Lorenzo de’ Medici or Peggy Guggenheim. He has a justifiable reputation as a rigorous businessman, as a dealmaker. But he also has an aesthetic awareness that’s extremely rare – especially among producers.”