Ben Bowman (director) explained

Ben Bowman
Occupation:film director, screenwriter
Years Active:2001–
Alma Mater:New York University

Ben Bowman is an American film director and screenwriter originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1]

Career

Bowman's career began in his home town of Minneapolis, editing music video footage for Prince. He later studied directing under Spike Lee at New York University.[2] [3] He subsequently taught at NYU and Trinity College in Connecticut.[4] [5]

Bowman adapted novelist Jonathan Lethem's "The Mad Brooklynite" for the stage. He directed the original production at The 45th Street Theater in New York City.[6] [7]

Bowman's debut as a feature writer and director was the Brooklyn set independent drama Knucklehead. Together with Bryan Abrams, he wrote the screenplay, which went on to draw the attention of Emmy winning and Oscar nominated actor Alfre Woodard. She had received the script from her co-star Gbenga Akinnagbe, who was also a producer on the film.[8] Woodard said that after reading the script, she signed on immediately to work with Bowman, "a young filmmaker with a great idea."

The film premiered as the opening film at the 2015 BAMcinématek New Voices in Black Cinema Festival. It went on to win awards at film festivals across the U.S.[9] [10] [11] [12] and earned positive reviews.[13] The international premiere was at the 4th annual Toronto Black Film Festival.[14] It was distributed by AMC owned RLJ Entertainment, with a release in 2016 on Amazon Prime.[15]

Bowman wrote the feature film screenplay adaptation of New York Times best selling true crime book Skyjack: The Hunt for D. B. Cooper.[16] [17]

Filmography

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2001New Detroitco-written with Tom Seltz
2009High Maintenance (2009)
2010
2016Knuckleheadfeature debut
co-written with Bryan Abrams

Notes and References

  1. News: Andy . Webster . A Mother's Clutch Makes Its Mark . . March 21, 2015 . August 6, 2016.
  2. News: Covert . Colin . May 3, 2015 . This 'Knucklehead' Will Make You Laugh, and Cry . Newsweek.
  3. Web site: October 4, 2016 . RLJ Entertainment Announces Acquisition of Urbanworld Film Festival Titles 'Like Cotton Twines' & 'Knucklehead' . Shadow and Act.
  4. Web site: Filmmakers . 2024-05-27 . KNUCKLEHEAD . en-US.
  5. Web site: Courant . Susan Dunne Hartford . 2016-11-28 . Trinity Teacher's 'Knucklehead'At Cinestudio . 2024-05-27 . Hartford Courant . en-US.
  6. Web site: Under The Influence: Two Plays - The Mad Brooklynite And Sunlight In A Cafeteria . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211020012335/https://www.theateronline.com/pb.xzc?PK=24494 . October 20, 2021 . November 25, 2023 . Theater Online.
  7. Web site: Williams-Rude . Beatrice . "Under the Influence": Two one-act plays . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100610232211/http://www.broadwayafterdark.com/Williams-Rude.php#UndertheInfluence . June 10, 2010 . June 6, 2019 . Broadway After Dark.
  8. Mays . Raqiyah . April 2, 2015 . Alfre Woodard Goes Indie in 'Knucklehead' . Ebony.
  9. News: Hod . Itay . June 7, 2015 . Clay Riley Hassler's 'Homeless' Wins Top Prize at Dances With Films Festival . TheWrap.
  10. Web site: 2015 Winners . American Black Film Festival.
  11. Web site: MSPIFF ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF JURIED COMPETITION AND AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS . MSP Film Society . Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul.
  12. Web site: Baltimore International Black Film Festival . Facebook.
  13. News: DeFore . John . March 27, 2015 . 'Knucklehead': Film Review . The Hollywood Reporter.
  14. Web site: Louisa . Alexe . 2016-01-26 . Tribute to ALFRE WOODARD at Toronto Black Film Festival #TBFF16 . 2024-05-27 . Toronto Black Film Festival . en-US.
  15. Web site: Entertainment . RLJ . October 3, 2016 . RLJ Entertainment Announces Acquisition of Urbanworld Film Festival Titles LIKE COTTON TWINES and KNUCKLEHEAD . 2024-05-27 . www.prnewswire.com . en.
  16. Book: Gray, Geoffrey . Skyjack: The Hunt for D. B. Cooper . 2011-08-09 . Crown . 978-0-307-45131-6 . en.
  17. Web site: Production Lab Screenwriting Development Studio – NYU Production Lab – Producing the Next Generation of Creatives . 2024-05-27 . wp.nyu.edu.

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