A fitness entrepreneur struck down by a debilitating disease reclaims his life and celebrates love in Director James Keach’s new documentary, Augie.

Keach’s film tells the inspirational story of Augie Nieto who was often referred to as the Steve Jobs of the fitness industry. Nieto arguably saved millions of lives when he catapulted Life Fitness and the revolutionary Lifecycle to global fitness leader and worldwide prominence. However, his greatest accomplishment came after he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in 2005. Today, the fitness legend, wheelchair bound, takes on ALS with his wife Lynne, leading the race to a cure in the fight to save his own life and the lives of millions… once again.

Following the DGA Special Projects Committee’s Documentary Series screening in the Guild's Los Angeles Theater on March 8th, Keach discussed the making of the film in a conversation moderated by Director Lynne Littman (Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years.)

In addition to Augie, Keach’s filmography includes the feature films Waiting for Forever, The Stars Fell on Henrietta, False Identity; the documentary features Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me, The Turning Point, Disease of the Wind; the movies for television Mom's on Strike, Murder in the Mirror, Praying Mantis, The Forgotten; and episodes of The District, JAG, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and The Young Riders. He has been a DGA member since 1990.

You can listen to Keach's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.