Todd Haynes

Infobox Actor
name = Todd Haynes


imagesize = 220px
caption =
birthdate = birth date and age|1961|1|2
location = Encino, California, U.S.
birthname =
yearsactive = 1985 -

Todd Haynes (born January 2, 1961, in Encino, California) is an award-winning American film director.

Career

In 1987, he made a short, "", which chronicles the life of American singer Karen Carpenter using Barbie dolls as actors. However, he failed to obtain the proper licensing to use numerous Carpenters songs in the film. As a result, Karen's brother Richard won a copyright infringement suit against him, and it was removed from distribution.

His 1991 feature film debut, "Poison", based on the writings of Jean Genet, and partly funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, was targeted by the American Family Association's, Rev. Donald Wildmon as inappropriately federally funded "filth". His second effort, 1995's "Safe", confirmed him as a maverick director capable of dealing with more issues than his new queer cinema tag might indicate.

He also directed the glam rock inspired "Velvet Goldmine" (1998), and the Douglas Sirk inspired "Far From Heaven" (2002).

During the 2007 Telluride International Film Festival, Haynes premiered "I'm Not There",cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2007/09/telluride-repor.html |title=Telluride Day 1: 'I'm Not There,' 'There Will Be Blood' |work=Entertainment Weekly Magazine |year=2007 |accessdate=2007-9-1] an experimental film based on the life and legends of Bob Dylan, with the singer-songwriter being portrayed by six actors: Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw and Christian Bale.

One of his trademarks is the casting of Julianne Moore.

Personal life

Haynes is a semiotics graduate of Brown University, and received an MFA from Bard College. He was a founding member of the AIDS media activist collective Gran Fury. He is openly gaycitation |last=DiStefano |first=Blase |date=1995 August 15 |title=Briefs, Barbecues and Beyond: An interview with writer/director Todd Haynes |periodical=OutSmart magazine |accessdate=2007-11-01 |url=http://home.houston.rr.com/blase/Root%20Folder/toddhayn.html] and currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

Awards & Nominations

*"Poison" (1991)
**Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Winner - Dramatic
**Berlin Film Festival Teddy Winner - Best Feature Film
*"Velvet Goldmine" (1998)
**Cannes Film Festival Best Artistic Contribution Winner
*"Far From Heaven" (2002)
**Venice Film Festival SIGNIS Award Winner - Honourable Mention

Filmography

Feature Films

* "Poison" (1991)
* "Safe" (1995)
* "Velvet Goldmine" (1998)
* "Far From Heaven" (2002)
* "I'm Not There" (2007)

Short Films

* "Assassins: A Film Concerning Rimbaud" (1985)
* "" (1987)

Television

* "Dottie Gets Spanked" (1993) "Short"

Music Videos

* "Disappearer" by Sonic Youth (1990)

References

External links

*
*worldcat id|id=lccn-no97-29166
* [http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/02/haynes.html Senses of Cinema: Great Directors Critical Database]
* [http://www.othervoices.org/2.3/jgrossman/index.html The Trouble with Carol: The Costs of Feeling Good in Todd Haynes's Safe and the American Cultural Landscape] by Julie Grossman (academic article)
* [http://www.toddhaynes.net ToddHaynes.net : Todd Haynes Fan Community]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/magazine/07Haynes.html?en=c4e5ffe84203ad24&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink&pagewanted=all "This Is Not a Bob Dylan Movie" (The New York Times)]
* [http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19048452&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=569331&rfi=6 "Probing Identity's Reliability:" Gerry Visco Interviews Todd Haynes for Gay City News]
* [http://www.cnettv.co.uk/film-and-tv/reel-report/todd-haynes-i-m-not-there-10000135.htm Video Interview with Todd Haynes at CNETTV UK]

Todd Haynes' films