Tom DiCillo | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thomas A. DiCillo (1953-08-14)August 14, 1953 (age 72) Camp Lejeune,North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupations | Film director,screenwriter,cinematographer |
| Years active | 1979–present |
Thomas A. DiCillo (born August 14, 1953) is an Americanfilm director,screenwriter,cinematographer, andmusician.
DiCillo was born inCamp Lejeune,North Carolina. His father wasItalian and his mother was fromNew England.[1] He studied creative writing atOld Dominion University[2] inNorfolk, Virginia and went on to study filmmaking atNew York University's Film School alongsideJim Jarmusch,Howard Brookner,Sara Driver andSpike Lee. Subsequently, he worked as an actor and cinematographer, before making films.
His first film,Johnny Suede (1991), featuredBrad Pitt andCatherine Keener in what would be their first starring roles. It received a nomination for a Grand Jury Prize at theSundance Film Festival.[3]
For his second film,Living in Oblivion (1995), DiCillo received acclaim for his satire of independent film-making. The 1995black comedy, itself a low-budgetindependent film, featuresSteve Buscemi as a director driven to near-madness by his cast and crew, including a vainHollywood actor. Describing the inspiration for and origin ofLiving in Oblivion in an interview withSalon, DiCillo described making a movie as "one of the most tedious, boring, painful experiences, and that's just when something goes right".[4]
His fifth film,Double Whammy (2001), was releasedstraight to video.[5]Delirious (2006), a comedy starring Steve Buscemi,Michael Pitt,Alison Lohman andElvis Costello, was screened at the San Sebastian Film Festival where it won three awards (Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and the Signis Award for originality).[6] The film also screened at theSundance Film Festival in 2007 and won Best Director at the HBO Comedy Film Festival inAspen, Colorado.
DiCillo wrote and directedWhen You're Strange (2009), a documentary about the rock bandThe Doors, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize. It was subsequently nominated for both an Emmy Award, after airing on PBS' American Masters series, and a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Video.
DiCillo has published books of two of his screenplays,Living in Oblivion andBox of Moonlight. Both books contain the full scripts along with commentary, stories and anecdotes. DiCillo also directed "Weeping Willow", asixth season episode of thetelevision seriesLaw & Order: Criminal Intent, inspired by thelonelygirl15 videos onYouTube.[7][8]
