James Gray (film director)
Encyclopedia
James Gray is an American film
director
and screenwriter
.
of Russian Jewish descent. His father was once an electronics contractor. Gray attended the University of Southern California
School of Cinematic Arts
, where his student film, "Cowboys and Angels", helped him get an agent and the attention of producer Paul Webster
, who encouraged him to write a script which he could produce.
In 1994, at age 25, Gray made his first feature film Little Odessa
, a dark film about a hit man
confronted by his younger brother upon returning to his hometown, "Little Odessa," a section of Brighton Beach
, Brooklyn
. The film won the Silver Lion
at the 1994 Venice Film Festival
.
In 2000, Miramax
released his second film, The Yards
, a film noir
written and shot in 1998. His third film, We Own the Night
, starring Joaquin Phoenix
and Mark Wahlberg
, played in competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
in May, receiving widely divergent reviews from international critics. We Own the Night was released theatrically in the US on October 12, 2007.
See the first book about James Gray : http://www.synecdoche.fr/en
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Life and career
Gray was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
of Russian Jewish descent. His father was once an electronics contractor. Gray attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
School of Cinematic Arts
USC School of Cinematic Arts
The USC School of Cinematic Arts, until 2006 named the School of Cinema-Television , is a film school within the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. It is the oldest and largest such school in the United States, established in 1929 as a joint venture with the Academy of...
, where his student film, "Cowboys and Angels", helped him get an agent and the attention of producer Paul Webster
Paul Webster (producer)
Paul Webster is a British film producer. He has worked both as an independent, and with several production companys. He worked with Working Title Films for five years, setting up their Los Angeles office. Between 1995 and 1997 he was Head of Production for Miramax Films. In 1998 he joined Channel...
, who encouraged him to write a script which he could produce.
In 1994, at age 25, Gray made his first feature film Little Odessa
Little Odessa
Little Odessa is an American crime film released in 1994 by James Gray, featuring Tim Roth, Edward Furlong, Moira Kelly and Vanessa Redgrave.The film earned a Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the Critic Prize at the Deauville Film Festival...
, a dark film about a hit man
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
confronted by his younger brother upon returning to his hometown, "Little Odessa," a section of Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is an oceanside neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. As of 2000, it has a population of 75,692 with a total of 31,228 households.-Location:...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The film won the Silver Lion
Silver Lion
The Leone d’Argento refers to a number of awards presented at the Venice Film Festival. The Silver Lion is awarded irregularly and have gone through several changes of purpose. Until 1995, Silver Lions were infrequently awarded to a number of films as second prize for those nominated for the...
at the 1994 Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
.
In 2000, Miramax
Miramax Films
Miramax Films is an American entertainment company known for distributing independent and foreign films. For its first 14 years the company was privately owned by its founders, Bob and Harvey Weinstein...
released his second film, The Yards
The Yards
The Yards is a 2000 American crime film with Mark Wahlberg, James Caan, Joaquin Phoenix, and Charlize Theron, written and directed by James Gray...
, a film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
written and shot in 1998. His third film, We Own the Night
We Own the Night
We Own the Night is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by James Gray and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. It is the third film directed by Gray, and the second film to feature Phoenix and Wahlberg together, the first being The Yards...
, starring Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix , formerly credited as Leaf Phoenix, is an American film actor. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and his family returned to the continental United States four years later...
and Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
, played in competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
2007 Cannes Film Festival
The 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the sixtieth, ran from 16 to 27 May 2007. Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights opened the festival, and Denys Arcand's The Age of Ignorance closed...
in May, receiving widely divergent reviews from international critics. We Own the Night was released theatrically in the US on October 12, 2007.
Filmography
- Little OdessaLittle OdessaLittle Odessa is an American crime film released in 1994 by James Gray, featuring Tim Roth, Edward Furlong, Moira Kelly and Vanessa Redgrave.The film earned a Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the Critic Prize at the Deauville Film Festival...
(1994) - writer/director - The YardsThe YardsThe Yards is a 2000 American crime film with Mark Wahlberg, James Caan, Joaquin Phoenix, and Charlize Theron, written and directed by James Gray...
(2000) - writer/director - We Own the NightWe Own the NightWe Own the Night is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by James Gray and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. It is the third film directed by Gray, and the second film to feature Phoenix and Wahlberg together, the first being The Yards...
(2007) - writer/director - Two LoversTwo Lovers (film)Two Lovers is a 2008 American romantic drama film, taking its inspiration from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short story "White Nights". which was already turned into a film by Luchino Visconti: Le Notti Bianche. The movie is directed by James Gray and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Vinessa...
(2008) - writer/director/producer - The Lost City of Z (2012) - writer/director
- Low Life (2013) - writer/director
Awards
- (2009) Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best DirectorIndependent Spirit Award for Best DirectorThe Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Director is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.- 1980s :* 1985: Joel Coen – Blood Simple** Martin Scorsese – After Hours** Joyce Chopra – Smooth Talk...
for Two LoversTwo Lovers (film)Two Lovers is a 2008 American romantic drama film, taking its inspiration from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short story "White Nights". which was already turned into a film by Luchino Visconti: Le Notti Bianche. The movie is directed by James Gray and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Vinessa...
External links
- Interview at Cannes 2008 on "Two Lovers" at IFC.com
- Foco - Revista de Cinema, special edition devoted to James Gray
See the first book about James Gray : http://www.synecdoche.fr/en