Cooper Raiff

Cooper Michael Raiff is an American filmmaker and actor. He has received critical acclaim for his films Shithouse (2020) and Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022).[1] He appeared on the 2022 Variety list of directors to watch.[2] In August 2022, Raiff launched his production company Small Ideas.

Cooper Raiff
Raiff in 2020
Born
Cooper Michael Raiff

Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Alma materOccidental College
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • actor
Years active2018–present

Early life

A native of Dallas, Raiff attended the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas.[3] He participated in school theatre productions and studied at the Dallas Young Actors Studio for 4 years.[4] During his senior year, he wrote and performed in his first play.[5] Raiff enrolled at Occidental College in Los Angeles and withdrew in 2019 to focus on film.[6]

Career

During spring break in 2018, Raiff stayed on campus to make Madeline & Cooper, a 50-minute short film that he uploaded to YouTube.[7] He then tweeted a link of the video to filmmaker Jay Duplass, who met with Raiff and encouraged him to adapt the project to feature-length; it became Raiff's debut feature Shithouse, in which he starred, directed, wrote, produced, and co-edited.[8] The film premiered at the 2020 SXSW where it was named Best Narrative Feature.[9] Distributed by IFC Films,[10] it opened in October 2020 to positive reviews.[11][12]

Raiff's second film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for the Dramatic Competition, and is available on Apple TV+.[13] The film was reportedly purchased by the company for $15 million.[14]

On August 2, 2022, it was announced that Raiff has partnered with Clementine Quittner of Black Bear Productions to launch his own production company called Small Ideas. Raiff commented on the company, and the film industry at large, saying, "There's a very good, lucrative market for making small things and flipping them, and if you're okay with them being maybe like a streamer-theatrical duo, I think everyone should be really feeling great and confident about getting their stuff made that they want to make."[15]

Raiff was given the Maverick Award at the 2022 Newport Beach Film Festival[16] and appeared on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Hollywood & Entertainment.[17]

For his first television project, Raiff is attached to direct and co-write an adaptation of Naoise Dolan's novel Exciting Times starring Phoebe Dynevor for Amazon Prime.[18]

Artistry

Raiff has cited Emma Seligman, Sofia Coppola, Greta Gerwig, Ryan Coogler, and the Duplass brothers as influences.[19][20]

Filmography

Film
Year English title Director Writer Producer Actor Role Notes
2018Madeline & CooperYesYesYesYesCooperStudent film
2019GodNoNoNoYesShmashShort film
2020ShithouseYesYesYesYesAlex MalmquistAlso editor
2022Cha Cha Real SmoothYesYesYesYesAndrew
2023You Are So Not Invited to My Bat MitzvahNoNoNoYesRodney
2023The TrashersYesYesYesYesAdamPost-production
2023I'm My GodNoNoNoYesShmashPost-production; Short Film
2024Home is Where the Weed isYesYesYesYesGregFilming

Awards and recognition
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2020Zurich Film FestivalBest International Feature FilmShithouseNominated
SXSW Film FestivalNarrative FeatureWon
2022Sundance Film FestivalGrand Jury PrizeCha Cha Real SmoothNominated
Palm Springs International Film FestivalDirectors to WatchWon

References
  1. Galuppo, Mia (January 17, 2022). "Sundance: Meet Gen Z's Buzziest Director (Who's Still Waiting to Go to a Film Festival)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  2. Lang, Brent (January 10, 2022). "Variety's 10 Directors to Watch for 2022". Variety. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  3. Gaughan, Liam (October 19, 2020). "The 23-Year-Old Greenhill School Alum Talks His Acclaimed Feature-Length Debut Film, How It Got Made And Just How Autobiographical It May Be". CentralTrack.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  4. Dallas Young Actors Studio Gerber, Dana (June 16, 2022). "Dallas-raised fimlmaker Cooper Raiff is starting his own party". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  5. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 22, 2022). "Cooper Raiff Debut Won SXSW & His 'Cha Cha Real Smooth' Is Sundance Buzz Title Now: Will Covid Ever Allow Him To See His Work In A Crowded Theater". Deadline. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  6. Anderson, Dick (August 19, 2021). "From S#!%house to the Penthouse". Occidental College. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  7. "23-year-old Dallas native scores with award-winning debut movie". The Dallas Morning News. October 16, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  8. Warren, Ethan (October 19, 2020). "I Grew Up Thinking Feelings Were Cool: Cooper Raiff on Shithouse". Bright Wall/Dark Room. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  9. Jorgenson, Todd (April 24, 2020). "Meet the Self-Taught Greenhill Grad Who Won the Top Film Prize From SXSW". D Magazine. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  10. N'Duka, Amanda (June 10, 2020). "IFC Films Nabs SXSW Award Winning Film 'Shithouse'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  11. "S...house (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango.
  12. "Shithouse Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  13. Galuppo, Mia (January 28, 2022). "Sundance: Nanny and The Exiles Take Top Prizes at 2022 Fest". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  14. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 28, 2022). "Apple Lands Cooper Raiff-Directed Cha Cha Real Smooth In $15M World Rights Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  15. Grobar, Matt (August 2, 2022). "Cha Cha Real Smooth Filmmaker Cooper Raiff & Clementine Quittner Launch Production Company Small Ideas". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  16. Roberts, Toby (October 17, 2022). "Ron Howard and Colson Baker aka Machine Gun Kelly Honored At Newport Beach Film Festival". LATF USA NEWS. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  17. "Cooper Raiff". Forbes. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  18. Andreeva, Nellie (August 17, 2021). "Phoebe Dynevor Set To EP & Poised To Star In 'Exciting Times' Series In Works At Amazon Studios". Deadline. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  19. "Filmmaker Cooper Raiff On 'Cha Cha Real Smooth', His David Harbour Pic 'The Trashers' & The "Really Small" TV Show He's Making Afterwards – Q&A". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  20. "Writer-Director-Actor Cooper Raiff on Feature Debut Shithouse (Interview)". Loud and Clear. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
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