David Lowery (director)

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Not to be confused with David Lowery (musician).
David Lowery
Lowery in 2018
Born (1980-12-26) December 26, 1980 (age 43)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
EducationIrving High School
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active2000–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2010)​

David Lowery (born December 26, 1980) is an American filmmaker.

His original work Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013), starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.[1] In 2016, he directed the Disney film Pete's Dragon (2016), a live-action film which he had co-written. It was a new work loosely based on the same original story as the Disney 1977 musical of the same name. In 2017, he directed the drama film A Ghost Story and in 2018, he directed The Old Man & the Gun. In 2021, he directed the fantasy epic The Green Knight.

Early life[edit]

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,[2] on December 26, 1980,[3] David Lowery is the eldest of nine children born to Madeleine and Mark Lowery. When he was seven, his family moved to Irving, Texas, for his father's work. Lowery attended Irving High School.[4]

At the age of 19, Lowery wrote and directed his first film, a short entitled Lullaby.[4]

Career[edit]

Lowery's first feature film, St. Nick, which follows two runaway children abandoned by their guardians, premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest festival.[5][6] It won the Texas Filmmaker Award at the 2009 AFI Dallas International Film Festival.[7]

In 2011, Lowery started his own production company, Sailor Bear.[8] That same year, he wrote and directed the short film entitled Pioneer, which played at the Sundance Film Festival that year.[9]

In 2013, Lowery wrote, directed and edited his second feature film, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara.[10] The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.[1] It was selected to compete at the Critics' Week section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.[11] Lowery has said that he drew from great directors and their works for this film, citing Claire Denis's 35 Shots of Rum,[12] Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller,[13] and Paul Thomas Anderson and David Fincher as influences.[14]

In addition to having edited films such as Amy Seimetz's Sun Don't Shine and Shane Carruth's Upstream Color,[15] Lowery co-wrote Pit Stop with director Yen Tan.[16] At the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, it was announced that Lowery would write and direct the film adaptation of the novel The Yellow Birds, written by Iraq War veteran Kevin Powers; it was a 2012 National Book Award finalist. The film was eventually directed by Alexandre Moors and stars Jack Huston, Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich and Jennifer Aniston.[17]

In April 2016, Lowery directed a remake of Disney's Pete's Dragon, which was met with positive reviews.[18] Lowery also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Toby Halbrooks.[19] In July 2016, it was announced Lowery would direct an episode of Breakthrough for National Geographic Channel.[20] In November 2016, it was announced Lowery had shot a new film, A Ghost Story, over the summer with Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck as a secret project.[21][22]

Lowery next directed the 2018 drama film The Old Man & the Gun, starring Robert Redford as bank robber, Forrest Tucker, and Casey Affleck.[23]

2020s[edit]

Lowery followed up The Old Man and the Gun with the medieval fantasy The Green Knight which stars Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Barry Keoghan, Ralph Ineson and Sean Harris.[24][25] The film was scheduled to world premiere at South by Southwest in March 2020, and release on May 29, 2020, but the premiere and release were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[26][27] It was released on July 30, 2021.[28]

Lowery directed a segment of the anthology film The Year of the Everlasting Storm which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in July 2021[29][30] and was released in theatres on 3 September 2021.[31]

After working with Disney on Pete's Dragon, Lowery signed on to direct a live-action adaptation of their 1953 animated film Peter Pan in April 2016.[32] The film, titled Peter Pan & Wendy and starring Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Jude Law as Captain Hook, and Ever Anderson as Wendy Darling, was released on Disney+ on April 28, 2023.[33]

In March 2023, it was announced Lowery would write and direct the music drama film Mother Mary for A24, with Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel starring and Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX writing original songs for the project.[34]

Personal life[edit]

Lowery married filmmaker Augustine Frizzell in 2010.[35] As of 2013, they live in Dallas.[36] Lowery identifies as an atheist, and has been a vegan since approximately 1996.[37][38]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Lowery at the Deauville Film Festival, 2013
Year Title Director Writer Editor Producer
2005 Deadroom Yes Yes Yes Yes
2009 It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home No Yes No No
St. Nick Yes Yes Yes No
2013 Ain't Them Bodies Saints Yes Yes No No
Pit Stop No Yes No No
2016 Pete's Dragon Yes Yes No No
2017 A Ghost Story Yes Yes Yes No
The Yellow Birds No Yes No No
2018 The Old Man & the Gun Yes Yes No No
2021 The Green Knight Yes Yes Yes Yes
2023 Peter Pan & Wendy Yes Yes No No
2024 Mother Mary Yes Yes No Yes

Executive producer

Short films

Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor DoP Notes
2000 Lullaby Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Also camera operator
The Knocker No No No Yes Yes
2003 Still Yes Yes Executive Yes No
Looking for Love Yes Yes No Yes Yes
2006 G.D.M.F. No No Yes Yes Yes
Some Analog Lines Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2007 The Outlaw Son[39] Yes Yes No No No
2008 A Catalog of Anticipations[40] Yes Yes No No No
Coda No No Yes Yes Yes
Merrily, Merrily No Yes No Yes No
2009 The Crane House No No No Yes Yes
Boycrazy Promo Yes No Executive Yes Yes
Boycrazy in Bed Yes No Executive Yes Yes
Boycrazy Gets a Job Yes No Executive Yes Yes
Boycrazy Bikini Mishap Yes No Executive Yes Yes
Boycrazy at the Drug Store Yes No Executive Yes Yes
2011 Pioneer[41] Yes Yes No Yes No
My Daily Routine[42] Yes No No No No Documentary short
2014 Until We Could[43] Yes Yes No No No
2021 Dig Up My Darling Yes Yes No No No Segment of The Year of the Everlasting Storm
2022 Oak Thorn &
The Old Rose Of Love 		Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Additional credits

Year Title Role
2008 Blood on the Highway Second unit director and assistant camera
Ciao Editor and co-producer
2009 Alexander the Last Additional editor and sound recordist
St. Nick Editor
2010 Lovers of Hate Cinematographer
Audrey the Trainwreck
Shadowboxing Editor
2011 Bad Fever
Uncertain, TX
Universal Squadrons
2012 Sun Don't Shine
Reconvergence Cinematographer
Nor'easter Editor
2013 Upstream Color
2014 Listen Up Philip Producer
Empire Builder Editor and cinematographer

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Happy Birthday Videographer
2008 Blood on the Highway Vampire
2009 Alexander the Last Stagehand
2017 A Ghost Story Neighbor's Ghost Uncredited

Television[edit]

Year Title Director Executive
Producer 		Writer Episode(s)
2014 Rectify Yes No No "Donald the Normal"
2017 Breakthrough Yes No No "Addiction: A Psychedelic Cure?"
2018 Strange Angel[44] Yes Yes No "Augurs of Spring" and "Ritual of Abduction"
2021 Cinema Toast Yes No Yes "The Gunshot Heard 'Round the World"
2024 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Yes No No Post-production

Accolades[edit]

Year Award Category Work Result
2005 Texas Film Festival Best Feature Narrative Deadroom Won
2008 SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury Award A Catalog of Anticipations Nominated
2009 Dallas International Film Festival Grand Jury Prize St. Nick Won
Sidewalk Film Festival Special Jury Award Won
St. Louis International Film Festival New Filmmakers Forum Award Won
Thessaloniki Film Festival Golden Alexander Nominated
2011 24fps International Short Film Festival Best Short Film Pioneer Won
Ashland Independent Film Festival Best Short Film Won
Eastern Oregon Film Festival Best Short Film Nominated
Hamptons International Film Festival Golden Starfish Award Nominated
Philadelphia Film Festival Special Jury Award Won
Sundance Film Festival Short Filmmaking Award Nominated
SXSW Film Festival Competition Award Won
Grand Jury Award Won
2013 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Editing Upstream Color Nominated
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Editing Nominated
Deauville Film Festival Grand Special Prize Ain't Them Bodies Saints Nominated
Gotham Awards Best Feature Nominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival Directors To Watch Nominated
Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Nominated
Nashville Film Festival Best Screenplay Pit Stop Won
2014 Independent Spirit Awards John Cassavetes Award Nominated
Best Editing Upstream Color Nominated
2016 Heartland Film Festival Truly Moving Picture Award Pete's Dragon Won
2017 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Film Editing A Ghost Story Won
Deauville Film Festival Revelation Prize Won
Critics Prize Won
Jury Prize Won
Grand Special Prize Nominated
Fantasia Film Festival Camera Lucida Award Won
Sitges Film Festival Carnet Jove Jury Award Won
Sundance Film Festival Audience Award Nominated
Utah Film Critics Association Awards Best Director Nominated
2018 Independent Spirit Awards John Cassavetes Award Nominated
International Online Cinema Awards Best Film Editing Nominated
London Film Festival Best Film The Old Man & the Gun Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2021 Cannes Film Festival Golden Eye The Year of the Everlasting Storm Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Director The Green Knight Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie Nominated
Detroit Film Critics Society Awards Best Director Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
Gotham Awards Best Feature Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
International Online Cinema Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
National Board of Review Awards Top Independent Films Won
Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Nominated
Best Director Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Lin, Kristian (January 28, 2013). "North Texas Films at Sundance: How'd They Do?". Fort Worth Weekly. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  2. ^ Aquino, Tara (August 16, 2013). "Rethinking the West with "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," David Lowery's Artful Sophomore Feature". Complex. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  3. ^ Mead, Rebecca (January 2012). "Into the Deep". Allure. pp. 103–106.
  4. ^ a b Kelly, Christopher (August 2013). "How David Lowery Became Dallas' Most Important Filmmaker". D Magazine. Archived from the original on 2014-05-23. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  5. ^ Schager, Nick (April 17, 2011). "St. Nick - Film Review". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  6. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (January 16, 2013). "Sundance 2013: 5 Faces to Watch". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Kay, Jeremy (April 6, 2009). "Gigantic, Skin among key winners at AFI Dallas festival". Screen International. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  8. ^ "David Lowery". Variety. Archived from the original on 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  9. ^ Kohn, Eric (January 20, 2013). "Sundance Interview: 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' Director David Lowery Explains Making More Accessible Movies and Why He Can't Stop Editing Them". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  10. ^ Smith, Derek (August 20, 2013). "Ain't Them Bodies Saints - Film Review". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  11. ^ Smith, Nigel M. (April 22, 2013). "Cannes Reveals International Critics' Week Lineup; 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' Makes the Cut". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Harrison, Eddie (September 4, 2013). "Interview: David Lowery, director of Ain't Them Bodies Saints". The List. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  13. ^ Gibson, Anthony (February 21, 2014). "David Lowery: I wanted to capture the essence of the great directors, such as Robert Altman, for Ain't Them Bodies Saints". Metro. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  14. ^ Cox, Gordon (January 7, 2013). "Lowery: Texan talent is Sundance-bound". Variety. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  15. ^ Aquino, Tara (August 17, 2013). "David Lowery - 25 Directors Who Are 35 and Under You Should Know". Complex. Archived from the original on July 20, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  16. ^ Olsen, Mark (August 17, 2013). "David Lowery's rapid rise with 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  17. ^ McNary, Dave (May 17, 2014). "CANNES: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tye Sheridan in Iraq War Drama 'Yellow Birds'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  18. ^ Pete's Dragon (2016) Archived 2021-02-14 at the Wayback Machine Rotten Tomatoes.
  19. ^ "After Gritty Sundance Debut On ‘Ain’t Them Bodies Saints’, David Lowery To Reinvent ‘Pete's Dragon’ For Disney." Archived 2014-06-24 at the Wayback Machine Deadline Hollywood (March 19, 2013).
  20. ^ "National Geographic Channel Greenlights Second Season of Critically Acclaimed Series BREAKTHROUGH". Business Wire. July 25, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  21. ^ Raup, Jordan (November 22, 2016). "Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara Secretly Shot a New Feature With David Lowery This Summer". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  22. ^ Murthi, Vikram (November 22, 2016). "Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck Shot A Secret New Film With David Lowery". Indiewire.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  23. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 23, 2017). "Fox Searchlight Landing Robert Redford & Casey Affleck Starrer 'Old Man And The Gun'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  24. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (November 6, 2018). "'The Old Man & The Gun' Director David Lowery, A24 Team On Fantasy Epic 'Green Knight'". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  25. ^ Sharf, Zack (February 13, 2020). "'The Green Knight' Trailer: Dev Patel, David Lowery Dazzle With Indie Fantasy Epic". IndieWire. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 2, 2020). "A24's Fantasy Film 'The Green Knight' To Make World Premiere At SXSW". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 2, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  27. ^ "City of Austin Cancels SXSW March Events". South by Southwest. March 6, 2020. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  28. ^ Ferme, Antonio (May 11, 2021). "'The Green Knight' Trailer: Watch Dev Patel Slay Monsters in A24's Medieval Fantasy". Variety. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  29. ^ Kay, Jeremy (May 19, 2021). "Jafar Panahi, Laura Poitras among directors on secret Neon film 'The Year Of The Everlasting Storm'". Screen International. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  30. ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2021". Cannes Film Festival. June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  31. ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (2 September 2021). "'The Year of the Everlasting Storm' Review: Home Movies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  32. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 13, 2016). "Disney Sets 'Pete's Dragon' Helmer David Lowery For New Live Action Peter Pan Film". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  33. ^ Reul, Katie (February 28, 2023). "'Peter Pan & Wendy' Trailer Unveils Jude Law's Captain Hook, Yara Shahidi's Tinkerbell and a Whole New Neverland". Variety. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  34. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 21, 2023). "Michaela Coel And Anne Hathaway To Star In Pop Music Epic 'Mother Mary' For David Lowery And A24". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  35. ^ Mariani, Anthony (March 21, 2012). "Second Annual Visionary Awards". Fort Worth Weekly. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  36. ^ Hernandez, Eugene (January 25, 2013). "Daily Buzz: Sundance Episode 8". Film Society of Lincoln Center. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  37. ^ McKee, Hannah (29 August 2016). "Director David Lowery talks fluffy dragons and Taika Waititi". Stuff. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  38. ^ Whalen, Andrew (12 July 2017). "A Ghost Story Director David Lowery Embraces Death To Transcend Nihilism". Player.One. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  39. ^ "AFS Goes a Long Way Back with A GHOST STORY Director David Lowery". Austin Film Society. 2017-07-20. Archived from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  40. ^ "SOMA Magazine » Archive » David Lowery Starts Talking". Archived from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  41. ^ "Pioneer by David Lowery | Short Film". Short of the Week. Archived from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  42. ^ "MCU Times". mcutimes.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  43. ^ "WATCH: Freedom to Marry's "Until We Could," by inaugural poet Richard Blanco | Freedom to Marry". www.freedomtomarry.org. Archived from the original on 2021-09-16. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  44. ^ Greene, Steve (2 August 2017). "David Lowery Set to Direct TV Show About a Sex Occultist Who Helped Invent Rocket Science". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.

External links[edit]

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