Boaz Yakin(Hebrew:בועז יכין,born June 20, 1965)[1]is anIsraeli-Americanscreenwriter,film director,andproducerbased inNew York City.He has written screenplays to films likeThe Rookie,Fresh,A Price Above Rubies,Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,andNow You See Me,and has directed the 2000 sports dramaRemember the Titansand the 2012Jason Stathamaction filmSafe.As a producer he has collaborated frequently with filmmakerEli Rothand served as executive producer for the first two entries in theHostelfranchise.
Boaz Yakin | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 20, 1965 New York City,U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, director, producer |
| Years active | 1989-present |
| Known for | Remember the Titans |
| Spouse | |
Early life
editYakin was born inNew York City.Both his parents areIsraeli-born,[2][3]and met inPariswhile studyingmimingwithMarcel Marceau.[4]His father's family are ofSyrian JewishandEgyptian Jewishdescent, and his mother's family is ofAshkenaziPolish Jewishdescent.[5]
He attended theBronx High School of Science,where he was classmates in 1983 with actorJon Cryer.[3]He studied filmmaking atCity College of New Yorkthen atNew York Universityand made his first deal for a screenplay at age 19.[4]
Career
editAfter finishing school, Yakin worked in the film industry, developing projects for several companies, and saw his first screenplay reach the screen in 1989, whenThe Punisher,a vehicle forDolph Lundgren,was released. Yakin's next screenplay wasThe Rookie,starringClint EastwoodandCharlie Sheen.Wanting to take on more personal material, Yakin drew from his experiences growing up in New York's inner city for his next screenplay,Fresh.Yakin opted to direct his screenplay forFreshhimself. The film won critical acclaim, earning the Filmmaker's Trophy at the 1994Sundance Film Festival.
Yakin went back to his youth for inspiration on his next project. His experience with theChassidiccommunity informed his screenplay forA Price Above Rubies.Yakin rebounded with his next assignment, which was his first film that he directed but did not write;Remember the Titanswas a major box office success, and moved him to the upper tier of bankable Hollywood talents.
HisHolocaustdramaDeath in Lovedebuted in January 2008. Yakin describes it as a movie about the failure of the family and inability to change your past.[2]
He was a member of the US Dramatic Jury at the2009 Sundance Film Festival.[6]
In 2010, it was announced that Yakin would directSympathy for the Devil,withSamuel L. JacksonandJosh Duhamelin the cast.[7]The project was still indevelopmentas of 2014.
Yakin's family filmMaxwas released by Warner Bros. and MGM on June 26, 2015.[8]
His 2020 film,Aviva,was set to premiere at the SXSW Film Festival, but was released publicly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Personal life
editYakin was married to Israelimusic videodirectorAlma Har'el.[10]The couple divorced in 2012.
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | The Punisher | No | Yes | No |
| 1990 | The Rookie | No | Yes | No |
| 1994 | Fresh | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1998 | A Price Above Rubies | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1999 | From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money | No | Story | No |
| 2000 | Remember the Titans | Yes | No | No |
| 2003 | Uptown Girls | Yes | No | Executive |
| 2004 | Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights | No | Yes | No |
| 2008 | Death in Love | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2010 | Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time | No | Yes | No |
| 2012 | Safe | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2013 | Now You See Me | No | Yes | Executive |
| 2015 | Max | Yes | Yes | Executive |
| 2018 | Boarding School | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2020 | Aviva | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2021 | The Harder They Fall | No | Yes | No |
Producer only
- 2001 Maniacs(2001)
- Bombay Beach(2011) (Documentary)
Executive producer only
- Hostel(2005)
- Hostel: Part II(2007)
Books
edit- Marathon,a graphic novel illustrated by Joe Infurnari, First Second, 2012
- Jerusalem,a graphic novel illustrated byNick Bertozzi,First Second, 2013
References
edit- ^Profileat encyclopedia
- ^abDavis, Barry."Sometimes you have to invest yourself",The Jerusalem Post,July 16, 2008.
- ^ab"Annual Report"(PDF).FFEU.org.Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. 2000. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 11, 2012.RetrievedNovember 16,2009.
- ^abBiography of Boaz Yakin,inallrovi
- ^Pfefferman, Naomi (July 8, 2015)."Through a dog's ordeal, director focuses on humanity".jewishjournal.RetrievedMarch 18,2018.
- ^Sundance Film Festival Announces Awards 2009,Sundance Festival
- ^Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Duhamel to Show Sympathy for the Devil
- ^McNary, Dave (May 30, 2014)."Dog Tale 'Max,' Starring Josh Wiggins, Fetches Jan. 30 Release Date".variety.Archived fromthe originalon June 8, 2019.RetrievedMay 30,2014.
- ^Hoffman, Jordan."Why Hollywood director Boaz Yakin's newest project is a gender-fluid art film".timesofisrael.RetrievedJune 16,2020.
- ^Keehn, Anne."Alma Har'el Rocks With The Rolling Stones".Swindle.Archived fromthe originalon April 12, 2009.RetrievedJune 15,2013.