Experiencing Interruptions?

Manifesting Greatness. A True Story by Raz Degan

Raz Degan was struggling in NY hoping to land that elusive ticket to stardom. Until one day he received a call from the other side of the globe that would change his life forever. Today, 25 years later, Degan unveils the unique experience of discovering his dream had manifested, but was the last to find out.

In the mid 90's, Raz traveled to Italy to shoot a TV commercial for the iconic liquor brand, Jägermeister. After the shoot, he returned to NY to pursue his dreams. Little did Raz know, that commercial he landed in Italy would steal the hearts of many and eventually become an Italian cultural phenomenon that would strike him with incredible fame overnight. The irony of the tale was that almost a year went by before he found out he had become famous and was in great demand on the other side of the globe.

Today, Degan reunites with the German liquor brand to launch their new premium liquor called MANIFEST. Written, produced and directed by Degan himself, the short doc is a true account of how Raz “manifested” his own dreams through his Jägermeister experience. This authentic story of life’s unexpected twists and turns will take viewers on an exciting journey through space and time.

  • Raz Degan
    Director
  • Raz Degan
    Writer
  • Cynthia Kiley
    Writer
  • Raz Degan
    Producer
  • Cynthia Kiley
    Producer
  • Raz Degan
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    MANIFESTING GREATNESS - Eine wahre Geschichte. Von Raz Degan
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Television, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Short documentary, Advertising, Documentary
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 9, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    300,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • YouTube
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Internet
Director Biography - Raz Degan

Raz Degan, actor, director, cinematographer, TV show host, and travel photographer, is a versatile artist with a vast and diverse body of work to his credit. As an actor, Degan appeared in numerous films, and was directed, among others, by Oliver Stone, Julie Taymor, Robert Altman and Italian maestro Ermanno Olmi. As a cinematographer he was involved with the documentary "The Green Prince", which won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Recently, Raz’s feature documentary “The Last Shaman” which he directed and wrote, was executive produced by Leonardo di Caprio and released on Netflix globally in 2017. The same year, Degan won the Italian version of Survivor, and continued to host his own adventure/documentary series, "Raz and the Tribe" for SKY networks in 2018. Throughout 2019/20 he continued his charity work for the United Nations Refugee Agency as UNHCR Ambassador supporting the “Educate a Child Project”. Degan’s photography collection spans over 100 countries world wide, has appeared in various magazines and is currently working on his first photo/autobiography book with Gruppo Mondadori Editore.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In a time before smart phones, social media or reality TV even existed I had the intuition to capture on super 16mm film the incredulous events that were unfolding before my eyes. My life was literally exploding, and I wanted to share the experience with others. The set up a small crew that followed me around for several weeks across the US, Europe and Australia. We had a blast. But the footage never amounted to anything, and ended up lost in a basement. Flash-forward 25 years, the opportunity to reunite with Jägermeister to launch their new premium liquor came around. When I was told the product’s name was MANIFEST, it was apparent to me I had to find that footage.

By juxtaposing archive shots from the 90’s with footage from today, my goal was to ultimately inspire viewers and capture the essence of the amazing 90’s through my personal journey: one that spontaneously embodies the Jägermeister MANIFEST brand philosophies and the power of real-life manifestation.