Anthony E. "Tony" Buba (born October 20, 1943) is an American filmmaker. He is primarily known for his documentaries focusing on the working-class communities and social issues in his hometown Braddock, Pennsylvania and the nearby Pittsburgh.
Tony Buba was born in 1943 as first child of Edward Buba († 1997) and Angeline Buba, née Gentile (1921–2017).[1] His mother came to America in 1929 with her family from the Italian town Tursi. Buba grew up in Braddock, Pennsylvania with his younger brother Pasquale "Pat" Buba (1946–2018).
After high school Buba joined the United States National Guard and later worked in a steel mill.[2] At the end of the 1960s he began to study. In 1971 he received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Edinboro University.[3] In 1976 he received his Master of Fine Arts in film studies at Ohio University.
During these years he produced his first documentary shorts, that portrayed his hometown Braddock and the structural change that came with the steel crisis of the 1970s.[4]
He is married to Jan McMannis-Buba and lives in Pittsburgh.
After he had finished his studies, Buba also produced ads, image films and TV shows. Shortly afterwards the Buba brothers met George A. Romero. He worked on the sound of some of Romero's films. In 1978 the filmmaker also cast both brothers for small roles as drug dealers in Martin and bikers in Dawn of the Dead.
His early work includes a series of short films collectively known as the Braddock Chronicles, which document the life and decline of Braddock.[5]
In 1988[6] he made his first full-length feature Lightning Over Braddock: A Rustbowl Fantasy, which was shown at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival in the Panorama section. [7] Buba was also nominated at the 6th Independent Spirit Awards for Best First Feature two years later. This film, combines documentary footage with fictional elements to depict the economic decline of Braddock and its impact on the community.
Buba founded his company Braddock Films in 1992. In 1994 he made his only feature film No Pets that was based on a short story by Jim Daniels.
Struggles in Steel: A Story of African-American Steelworkers (1996) Co-directed with Raymond Henderson, this documentary highlights the contributions and struggles of African-American steelworkers.[8]
The New York Anthology Film Archives presented a retrospective on his work in 2012 as a part of "Sometimes Cities: Urban America Beyond NYC“.[9]
In 2023, Buba was invited to curate the inaugural Carnegie Museum of Art Film Series. He selected 17 films and 24 directors to screen. [10]
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