Matthew Berkowitz

Matthew Berkowitz is an American film director, writer, and producer. He has written and directed three feature films (Wild in Blue, A Violent Man, The Madness Inside Me).

Matthew Berkowitz
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Film director, writer, and producer
Years active2015 - present

Early life and career

Berkowitz went to Pitzer College in Claremont, California, where he studied philosophy and film.[1] He cites Brian De Palma, Alfred Hitchcock, Lars von Trier and Gaspar Noé as some of his cinematic influences.[2]

Berkowitz made his screenwriting and directing debut in 2015 with his psychological thriller film Wild in Blue starring Frank Cermak Jr., Daveigh Chase, Karen Black, Charlotte Price, Marcos Mateo Ochoa, and Steve Railsback.[3][4] The film gained attention with what the filmmakers dubbed "terrorist marketing" when they attempted to purchase a billboard advertisement on Sunset Boulevard featuring a still from the film depicting Chase in a pose that they knew would be rejected by the advertising company.[5] The rejection was reported by several media outlets, including TMZ.[6] Wild in Blue received several awards, including Best Feature Film at the 2015 St. Tropez International Film Festival and Best Director and Best Lead Actor at the 2015 Madrid International Film Festival.[7]

Later Berkowitz wrote and directed the neo-noir thriller film A Violent Man, which starred Thomas Q. Jones, Isaach de Bankolé, Chuck Liddell, and Denise Richards.[8] A Violent Man had its world premiere at the 2017 Oldenburg International Film Festival and its U.S. premiere at the 2018 Miami Film Festival, with the Miami Film Festival guide stating that "director Matthew Berkowitz’s second outing speaks to the power of film noir to shine a light on the base impulses brewing below our civilized exteriors."[9][10] Alan Ng of Film Threat called the film "a testament to how filmmakers can tell big stories with small budgets."[11][12]

Berkowitz also wrote and directed the psychological thriller The Madness Inside Me starring Merrin Dungey, Devon Graye, Thomas Q. Jones, John Buffalo Mailer, and Anthony DeSando. It premiered at the 2020 Oldenburg International Film Festival.[13] The Madness Inside Me was later acquired by Gravitas Ventures and was released on digital platforms, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 3, 2021.[14] Anthony Francis of Screen Comment called The Madness Inside Me "Well-directed and extremely well-written" and wrote, "Berkowitz’s film swims in territories previously explored by filmmakers as varied as Brian De Palma, Roman Polanski, David Cronenberg, and Luis Buñuel."[15]

Berkowitz has also produced several films including Ms. Long Legs, written and directed by Academy Award nominated screenwriter Milo Addica, DieRy, Corbin Nash, and The Queen of Hollywood Blvd.[16][17]

Filmography

Films
Year Title Director Producer Writer Editor
2015 Wild in Blue Yes Yes Yes Yes
2017 The Queen of Hollywood Blvd Yes
2017 A Violent Man Yes Yes Yes Yes
2018 Corbin Nash Yes
2020 DieRy Yes
2021 The Madness Inside Me Yes Yes Yes Yes

Short films
Year Title Director Producer Writer Editor
2010 Father's Day Yes
2013 The Heeler Yes
2014 Ms. Long Legs Yes Yes
2014 Pineapples Yes

Awards and nominations
List of awards
Year Award Nomination Film Result Notes
2015Madrid International Film FestivalBest DirectorWild in BlueWon
Best Original Screenplay of a Feature FilmNominated
Best FilmNominatedShared with Robert A. Ferretti and Felix Lee
St. Tropez International Film FestivalBest Feature FilmWon
Best DirectorNominated
2016International Filmmaker Festival of World CinemaBest DirectorNominated
Best FilmNominatedShared with Robert A. Ferretti and Felix Lee
2017Oldenburg International Film FestivalBest Film A Violent ManNominated
2018Miami Film FestivalBest Feature FilmNominated

References
  1. "Matthew Berkowitz". Miami Film Festival 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  2. "Interview with the director of Madness Inside Me". filmfestivals.com. September 1, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  3. "WILD IN BLUE - NSFW TRAILER (FRANK CERMAK JR., CHARLOTTE PRICE, STEVE RAILSBACK)". The Tracking Board. May 17, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  4. Levine, Sydney (September 26, 2016). "Review: Wild in Blue". SydneysBuzz. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  5. "How They Did It: Terrorist Marketing Puts Wild in Blue on the Map". MovieMaker. May 8, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  6. "'Lilo & Stitch' Star We Don't Want Your Ass On the Strip". TMZ. November 28, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  7. "Wild in Blue (2015) Awards". IMDb. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  8. Billington, Alex (January 11, 2019). "Thomas Q. Jones in First Trailer for Crime Mystery Film 'A Violent Man'". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  9. Roxborough, Scott (August 15, 2017). "Oldenburg Film Festival Unveils First Titles". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  10. "A VIOLENT MAN". Miami Film Festival 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  11. "Why Over-Prep? It's the Key to Not Taking Shots In the Dark, Says the Director of A Violent Man". MovieMaker. September 11, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  12. Ng, Alan (August 8, 2019). "A Violent Man". Film Threat. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  13. "The Madness Inside Me". Oldenburg Film Festival. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  14. "The Madness Inside Me Trailer & Poster Premiere – Horror Film Stars Merrin Dungey". ComingSoon.net. 11 August 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  15. ""The Madness Inside Me" is a well-rounded thriller of psychological manipulation". Screen Comment. September 7, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  16. "Matthew Berkowitz". IMDb. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  17. Greene, Steve (29 September 2016). "'The Queen of Hollywood Blvd' Mixes Debt and Revenge Against a Throwback LA Backdrop". IndieWire. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
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