Samy Burch Explained

Samy Burch
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California
Occupation:Screenwriter
Education:New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Relatives:Molly Burch (sister)

Samy Burch is an American screenwriter. She is known for writing May December (2023), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Early life and education

Burch was raised in West Los Angeles and attended the Archer School for Girls.[1] [2] She was exposed to the film industry at an early age through her parents; her mother worked in film casting while her father worked in film development.[3] Her sister is singer Molly Burch.[4]

In 2009, Burch graduated from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a bachelor's degree in Dramatic Writing.[5]

Career

Early in her career, Burch worked in casting, writing audition materials for actors. She also wrote and directed a series of short films with her now-husband, Alex Mechanik.[6]

Burch completed the screenplay for May December, her first feature film, in 2019. The script was inspired by recollections of the 1990s tabloid culture of her youth, particularly the case of Mary Kay Letourneau. Director Todd Haynes first read the script in 2020 and the completed film premiered on May 20, 2023, at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.[3]

Burch wrote the screenplay for the Warner Bros. family comedy movie Coyote vs. Acme, based on a 1990 Ian Frazier humor piece that first appeared in The New Yorker. It was shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery in November 2023, who reversed its decision a week later after public backlash, but in February 2024, was expected to be deleted and claimed as a tax write-off.[7] [8] On March 10, 2024, Burch told IndieWire at the 96th Academy Awards that the film might still be released and conversations were still ongoing.[9]

In May 2024, Variety reported that Late Fame, a Kent Jones film starring Willem Dafoe and Sandra Hüller with a screenplay by Burch, would begin shooting that fall in New York City.[10]

Personal life

In 2023, Burch married Alex Mechanik, with whom she developed the story for May December. The pair met while studying film at NYU and currently reside in Los Angeles.[11]

Filmography

Year Title Notes
2013All You Can EatShort film;
Co-directed with Alex Mechanik
2016Bev
2017Crown Prince
2023May DecemberWriter
N/ACoyote vs. AcmeWriter
2025Late FameWriter

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2023Best ScreenplayMay December[12] [13]
Gotham AwardsBest Screenplay[14]
Boston Society of Film CriticsBest Screenplay[15]
Los Angeles Film Critics AssociationBest Screenplay[16]
Chicago Film Critics AssociationBest Original Screenplay[17]
Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyBest Original Screenplay[18] [19]
Boston Online Film Critics AssociationBest Screenplay [20]
Indiana Film Journalists AssociationBest Original Screenplay[21] [22]
San Diego Film Critics SocietyBest Original Screenplay[23] [24]
Online Association of Female Film CriticsBest Original Screenplay[25]
2024Alliance of Women Film JournalistsBest Original Screenplay[26]
Best Female Screenwriter[27]
Columbus Film Critics AssociationBest Original Screenplay[28] [29]
Georgia Film Critics Association[30]
North Carolina Film Critics Association[31]
DiscussingFilm Critic Awards[32]
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association[33]
National Society of Film CriticsBest Screenplay[34]
Utah Film Critics AssociationBest Original Screenplay[35] [36]
Seattle Film Critics SocietyBest Screenplay[37] [38]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics CircleBest Original Screenplay[39] [40]
Austin Film Critics AssociationBest Original Screenplay[41]
Denver Film Critics SocietyBest Original Screenplay[42] [43]
Critics' Choice AwardsBest Original Screenplay[44]
North Dakota Film SocietyBest Screenplay[45]
Portland Critics Association[46]
Satellite AwardsBest Original Screenplay[47]
Independent Spirit AwardsBest First Screenplay[48]
Academy AwardsBest Original Screenplay[49]
Writers Guild of America AwardsBest Original Screenplay[50]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wong Macabaso . Lisa . First-Time Screenwriter Samy Burch on the Slippery Story of May December . Vogue . November 20, 2023 . December 5, 2023.
  2. Web site: n.a. . Archer Alumni Stars Shine Bright as Awards Season Kicks Off: Samy Burch ’05 and Gracie Abrams ’18 . Archer School for Girls . 5 March 2024.
  3. Web site: Braun . SPOTLIGHT November 2023: Samy Burch, Screenwriter, MAY DECEMBER . Alliance of Women Film Journalists . October 30, 2023 . December 5, 2023.
  4. Web site: n.a. . Girl to Know: Molly Burch . DNA MAG . 2 December 2018 . January 30, 2024.
  5. Web site: n.a. . 2023 GOTHAM AWARD NOMINEES . Tisch School of the Arts . December 5, 2023.
  6. Web site: n.a. . Samy Burch . IMDb . December 5, 2023.
  7. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 'Coyote Vs. Acme': Warner Bros Shelves Finished Live-Action/Animated Pic Completely As Studio Takes $30M Tax Write-off . Deadline . November 9, 2023 . December 5, 2023.
  8. Web site: Dick . Jeremy . 2024-02-09 . Coyote vs. Acme's Latest Update Spells Very Bad News for Looney Tunes Movie . 2024-03-11 . CBR . en.
  9. Web site: Perella . Samantha Bergeson,Vincent . Bergeson . Samantha . Perella . Vincent . 2024-03-10 . 'Coyote vs. Acme' Writer Samy Burch Says Film May Still Be Released: Conversations Are 'Ongoing,' but We'd Be 'Heartbroken' If It's Shelved . 2024-03-11 . IndieWire . en-US.
  10. News: Keslassy . Elsa . Willem Dafoe, Sandra Huller Co-Star in Kent Jones’ ‘Late Fame,’ Reteaming ‘May December’s’ Samy Burch, Killer Films; Package to Launch at Cannes (EXCLUSIVE) . 7 May 2024 . Variety.
  11. Web site: Douglas . Edward . May December Screenwriter Samy Burch on Collaborating with Todd Haynes on the Timely Netflix Drama . Above the Line . November 29, 2023 . December 5, 2023.
  12. Web site: Jones . Marcus . Screenwriter Samy Burch on Building to That Final 'Funny Punchline' of 'May December' . Indiewire . December 4, 2023 . December 5, 2023.
  13. Web site: n.a. . AWARDS . New York Film Critics Circle . December 5, 2023.
  14. Web site: Gotham Awards Nominations: 'All of Us Strangers' Tops Movie List; Ryan Gosling Gets 'Barbie' Nom With Budget Caps Removed. Goldsmith . Jill. Deadline Hollywood. October 24, 2023. October 25, 2023.
  15. Web site: Anderson . Erik . 2023 Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC): 'The Holdovers' Wins Best Film, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay . AwardsWatch . December 10, 2023 . December 14, 2023.
  16. Web site: Davis . Clayton . 'The Zone of Interest' Wins Best Picture at Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, Four Women Take Acting Prizes (Full Winners List) . Variety . December 10, 2023 . December 14, 2023.
  17. Web site: n.a. . THREE FILMS WIN THREE HONORS EACH AT 2023 CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION HONORS . Chicago Film Critics Association . December 14, 2023.
  18. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Nominations . Next Best Picture . December 8, 2023 . December 14, 2023.
  19. Web site: Anderson . Erik . Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: 'Oppenheimer,' Bradley Cooper, 'Godzilla Minus One' Top Winners . AwardsWatch . December 13, 2023 . December 14, 2023.
  20. Web site: Anderson . Erik . Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) Awards: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Named Best Picture, 'Oppenheimer' Wins 5 . AwardsWatch . December 17, 2023 . December 17, 2023.
  21. Web site: n.a. . 2023 Award Nominees . Indiana Film Journalists Association . 14 December 2023.
  22. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners . Next Best Picture . December 17, 2023 . December 18, 2023.
  23. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations . Next Best Picture . December 15, 2023 . December 18, 2023.
  24. Web site: n.a. . 2023 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Winners . San Diego Film Critics Society . December 19, 2023 . December 19, 2023.
  25. Web site: n.a. . AWARDS Online Association of Female Film Critics 2023 Awards – Winners . Online Association of Female Film Critics . December 21, 2023 . January 7, 2024.
  26. Web site: n.a. . 2023 EDA Awards Nominees . Alliance of Women Film Journalists . December 24, 2023.
  27. Web site: n.a. . 2023 EDA Award Winners . Alliance of Women Film Journalists . January 7, 2024.
  28. Web site: n.a. . Awards 2023 Nominees . Columbus Film Critics Association . January 7, 2024.
  29. Web site: n.a. . Awards 2023 . Columbus Film Critics Association . January 7, 2024.
  30. Web site: n.a. . 2023 Awards . Georgia Film Critics Association . January 7, 2024.
  31. Web site: n.a. . Oppenheimer Awarded in a Record-Breaking Ten Categories by North Carolina Film Critics Association Best of 2023 . North Carolina Film Critics Association . January 7, 2024.
  32. Web site: Rolph . Ben . DiscussingFilm Critic Awards 2024: The Winners . DiscussingFilm . January 6, 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  33. Web site: n.a. . Awards: Our 2023 Winners . Greater Western New York Film Critics Association . 6 January 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  34. Web site: Lewis . Hilary . 'Past Lives' Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics . The Hollywood Reporter . January 6, 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  35. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations . Next Best Picture . 16 December 2023 . 18 December 2023.
  36. Web site: Painter . Ryan . Utah Film Critics Association 2023 Award Winners . KUTV . January 6, 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  37. Web site: Anderson . Erik . Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Nominations: 'Poor Things,' 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Lead . AwardsWatch . 3 January 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  38. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Winners . Next Best Picture . January 8, 2024 . January 16, 2024.
  39. Web site: n.a. . San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle . SFBAFCC 2023 AWARDS . January 7, 2024.
  40. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Winners . Next Best Picture . January 9, 2024 . January 16, 2024.
  41. Web site: Anderson . Erik . Austin Film Critics Association Nominations (AFCA): 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Oppenheimer' Lead with 10 Each . AwardsWatch . January 4, 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  42. Web site: Jamieson . Doug . Barbie and Poor Things Lead Denver Film Critics Society Nominations . Filmotomy . January 6, 2024 . January 7, 2024.
  43. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners . Next Best Picture . January 12, 2024 . January 16, 2024.
  44. Web site: Davis . Clayton . Critics Choice 2024 Nominations: 'Barbie' Breaks All-Time Record With 18 Noms . Variety . December 13, 2023 . December 14, 2023.
  45. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) Winners . Next Best Picture . January 15, 2024 . January 16, 2024.
  46. Web site: Neglia . Matt . The 2023 Portland Critics Association (PCA) Winners . Next Best Picture . January 15, 2024 . January 16, 2024.
  47. Web site: n.a. . IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards . International Press Academy . December 18, 2023.
  48. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations: Best Feature 'American Fiction', 'May December', 'All Of Us Strangers', 'Passages', 'Past Lives' & 'We Grown Now' — Live . Deadline . December 5, 2023 . December 5, 2023.
  49. News: Gonzalez . Shivani . January 23, 2024 . Oscar Nominees 2024 . January 23, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  50. Web site: n.a. . 2024 Writers Guild Awards Nominees . Writers Guild of America . 11 March 2024.