Matthew Berkowitz is an American film director, writer, and producer. He has written and directed three feature films (Wild in Blue, A Violent Man, The Madness Inside Me).
Matthew Berkowitz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, writer, and producer |
| Years active | 2015 - present |
Early life and career
Berkowitz went to Pitzer College in Claremont, California, where he studied philosophy and film.[1] He cites Brian De Palma, Alfred Hitchcock, Lars von Trier and Gaspar Noé as some of his cinematic influences.[2]
Berkowitz made his screenwriting and directing debut in 2015 with his psychological thriller film Wild in Blue starring Frank Cermak Jr., Daveigh Chase, Karen Black, Charlotte Price, Marcos Mateo Ochoa, and Steve Railsback.[3][4] The film gained attention with what the filmmakers dubbed "terrorist marketing" when they attempted to purchase a billboard advertisement on Sunset Boulevard featuring a still from the film depicting Chase in a pose that they knew would be rejected by the advertising company.[5] The rejection was reported by several media outlets, including TMZ.[6] Wild in Blue received several awards, including Best Feature Film at the 2015 St. Tropez International Film Festival and Best Director and Best Lead Actor at the 2015 Madrid International Film Festival.[7]
Later Berkowitz wrote and directed the neo-noir thriller film A Violent Man, which starred Thomas Q. Jones, Isaach de Bankolé, Chuck Liddell, and Denise Richards.[8] A Violent Man had its world premiere at the 2017 Oldenburg International Film Festival and its U.S. premiere at the 2018 Miami Film Festival, with the Miami Film Festival guide stating that "director Matthew Berkowitz’s second outing speaks to the power of film noir to shine a light on the base impulses brewing below our civilized exteriors."[9][10] Alan Ng of Film Threat called the film "a testament to how filmmakers can tell big stories with small budgets."[11][12]
Berkowitz also wrote and directed the psychological thriller The Madness Inside Me starring Merrin Dungey, Devon Graye, Thomas Q. Jones, John Buffalo Mailer, and Anthony DeSando. It premiered at the 2020 Oldenburg International Film Festival.[13] The Madness Inside Me was later acquired by Gravitas Ventures and was released on digital platforms, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 3, 2021.[14] Anthony Francis of Screen Comment called The Madness Inside Me "Well-directed and extremely well-written" and wrote, "Berkowitz’s film swims in territories previously explored by filmmakers as varied as Brian De Palma, Roman Polanski, David Cronenberg, and Luis Buñuel."[15]
Berkowitz has also produced several films including Ms. Long Legs, written and directed by Academy Award nominated screenwriter Milo Addica, DieRy, Corbin Nash, and The Queen of Hollywood Blvd.[16][17]
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Editor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Wild in Blue | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2017 | The Queen of Hollywood Blvd. | Yes | |||
| 2017 | A Violent Man | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2018 | Corbin Nash | Yes | |||
| 2020 | DieRy | Yes | |||
| 2021 | The Madness Inside Me | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Short films
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Editor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Father's Day | Yes | |||
| 2013 | The Heeler | Yes | |||
| 2014 | Ms. Long Legs | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2014 | Pineapples | Yes |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Nomination | Film | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Madrid International Film Festival | Best Director | Wild in Blue | Won | |
| Best Original Screenplay of a Feature Film | Nominated | ||||
| Best Film | Nominated | Shared with Robert A. Ferretti and Felix Lee | |||
| St. Tropez International Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Won | |||
| Best Director | Nominated | ||||
| 2016 | International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema | Best Director | Nominated | ||
| Best Film | Nominated | Shared with Robert A. Ferretti and Felix Lee | |||
| 2017 | Oldenburg International Film Festival | Best Film | A Violent Man | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Miami Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Nominated |