How to convince my acting teacher to write recommendation letter for Film Industry job?

I have a problem. See, I’m trying to get into this Assistant Film Director training program, its like a paid internship and if you graduate, you get an assistant directing job. I have to submit my stuff by January, the only thing I’m missing is a letter of recommendation, two of them. I already have one from my brother in law who’s an actor and independent film director. I need one more. Problem is the only other person that I know of who has ANYTHING to do with Acting or film related stuff is my acting teacher from High School (performing arts school).

Here’s the problem: Back in high school, my performance sucked. Why? Because I was depressed, my mom got dementia, now shes dead, my best friend from childhood wasn’t talk to me for years so I had no real friends, now hes killed himself, my dad didnt wanna put me in counseling (which I needed) because he didn’t believe it, now he’s betrayed me (and mom while she was dying) by getting together with a young gold digger, I haven’t spoken to him in months. Top it all off, I had a very unhealthy long term relationship with an older woman back then and, let’s just say she was placed in a mental hospital, I’ll leave it at that. This was way too much for me to handle at 16, 17, 18 years old.

I feel bad about high school and wish I can do things over, it makes me feel like a ‘Corey Haim’ has-been type of person whenever I think about it. But since then I’ve made up for it: I have fiance and a family now, getting married, i work in the health field, i have a website, i do paid freelance writing on the side, im writing a novel, and im making a short film next year. If none of this spells hard working, reliable, and dedicated, I don’t know what else does.

Anyway, I’ve written to my teacher explaining everything I just said above and its been two months with no response. I sent him another email a couple weeks ago to see whats up. Still no reply. So now I’m thinking about calling him up. Has this guy “silently” said no to writing the letter or just busy? Because my deadline is rapidly approaching.

I really wish there was a way I can use someone else, but I think it would have to be someone who’s somehow affiliated with film or acting in a sense and not just anybody. Correct me if I’m wrong? Because the letter has to describe why I’m a good fit for the program. This would really suck if he’s withholding doing this because of my past mistakes, it hurts because theres nothing I can do to change them and now I have to suffer and not make my dreams a reality with this opportunity?