Knowing he wanted to be a filmmaker from an early age, Kurando Mitsutake came to the U.S. from Japan for a high school exchange program and stayed to attend the San Francisco Art Institute to study fine art film. He went on to receive a BFA and MFA in filmmaking at the California Institute of the Arts where his focus shifted to narrative storytelling.

          After college, he gained further filmmaking experience as a production manager, which led to his directing segments for a TV program titled “@TV” for a Japanese cable channel.

          As a line producer, Kurando worked on behind-the-scene documentaries and DVD supplementary series for “Blade,” “Lost in Space,” and “Rush Hour” for New Line Cinema. He also line produced Toei Studio’s feature film “The Excellent Company.” As a director’s assistant, Kurando worked with Takashi Shimizu for “The Grudge 2” and Masayuki Ochiai for “Shutter.”

          In 2004, Kurando cast himself in a supporting role in “Samurai Avenger: Lone Wolf Blood,” a short film he directed to raise money for the feature film “Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf.” Coincidentally, his friend’s agent saw the short and signed Kurando as an actor. In 2007, Kurando guest starred in one of the episodes of the first season of “Ugly Betty.” He also played the reoccurring villain White Beard in the second season of “Heroes” in 2008.

          Kurando made his directorial debut with the feature film “Monsters Don’t Get To Cry,” which was distributed on DVD in Japan March of 2007.

          “Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf” is Kurando’s second feature film. He can be contacted through his website at www.kurandomitsutake.com