Michael Oblowitz
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Michael Oblowitz | |
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Michael Oblowitz at theHof International Film Festivalin October 2013 | |
Born | 1952 (age 71–72) Cape Town, South Africa |
Education | University of Cape Town, Columbia University |
Known for | Filmmaking |
Movement | No wave |
Website | michaeloblowitz |
Michael Oblowitzis a South African filmmaker.
Early life and education
[edit]Oblowitz was born inCape Townwhere he grew up surfing in the 1970s. He is a Fine Arts and Philosophy graduate of theUniversity of Cape Town.He received an M.F.A. in Film Theory and Production fromColumbia Universityin 1982 and studied color photography and printing at the Central School of Art London in 1976.[1]
Career
[edit]He began his career in the early 1970s with the filmsX-Terminator,The Is/Land,Minus ZeroandKing Blank.The films are part of the permanent collection of theMuseum of Modern ArtinNew York City.[2]
He entered the mainstream in 1997 with thecrime drama filmThis World, Then the Fireworks.[3]In October 2010, his filmThe Traveller,starring Val Kilmer, was released in the United States.[4]It won an award for Best Thriller Feature at the 2011 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.[2]
He released his first surfing documentary,Sea Of Darknessin 2010. The documentary won the Best Feature award at theNew York Surf Film Festival.[5]His second surfing documentary,Heavy Water,which was released in 2017 starredNathan Fletcher,[6]won Best surfing film at the Byron Bay International Film Festival[7]and won Best Wavescape film at the 2018Durban International Film Festival.[8]In 2018, he directed the filmFrank & Ava.[9]
He has also produced music videos for musicians such as ofDavid BowieandDiana Ross.[10]
Notable films
[edit]- X-Terminator-1977
- The Is/Land-Circuits of Control(with David Goldberg, 1978)
- Minus Zero-1979
- King Blank(1982)
- This World, Then the Fireworks(1997)
- Sea of Darkness(Documentary, 2010)
- The Traveler(2010)
- The Ganzfeld Experiment(2013)
- Heavy Water(2017)
- Frank & Ava(2018)
Music videos
[edit]- "Basketball" by Kurtis Blow (1984)
- "Hippy Land Rap" byTommy Chong1990[11]
- "The Healer" byJohn Lee HookerandCarlos Santana(1993)
- "Mustang Sally" byBuddy GuyandJeff Beck(1994)
- Booker T and the M.G's Live in Laguna(music documentary, 1995)
- Buddy Guy - Live: The Real Deal(music documentary, 1996)
- "Standing Here" by the Stone Roses (1997)
Selected filmography
[edit]- 1977X-terminator,(short film)
- 1977Table Conversation,(Short Film)
- 1979Minus Zero
- 1979Death Magazine
- 1979Red Love Color
- 1980Too Sensitive to Touch
- 1998The Areola(co-directed)
- 2001The Breed
- 2003Out for a Kill
- 2003The Foreigner
- 2005Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy
- 2008Romantic Resorts
- 2016Untitled Sunny Garcia Documentary(in production)
- 2023Confidential Informant
Awards and recognitions
[edit]Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Byron Bay International Film Festival | Best Surf Film | Heavy Water | Won | [7] |
2018 | Durban International Film Festival | Best Wavescape Film | Heavy Water | Won | [12] |
2018 | Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival | Best Independent Film | Frank & Ava | Won | [13] |
References
[edit]- ^"Beneath the sea of Dark-ness".Tracks.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^ab"Heavy Water Premiere this Sunday".wavescape.co.za.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^This World, Then the Fireworksat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films.
- ^Marrone, John (30 January 2011)."[BD Review] 'The Traveler' a Gem in the Rough".Bloody Disgusting.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^"WINNERS CIRCLE".newyorksurffilmfestival.com.Archived fromthe originalon 1 November 2013.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^"Review: 'Heavy Water,' a surf doc aimed at the hardcore fan".Los Angeles Times.30 January 2020.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^ab"The Byron Bay International Film Festival 2017 Award Winners".byron-bay.com.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^"All the winners at DIFF 2018".news24.com.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^Paine, Herbert (3 March 2018)."BWW Review: FRANK & AVA ~ An Affair To Remember".BroadwayWorld.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^"Inside Big Wave Surfer Nathan Fletcher's New Movie, 'Heavy Water'".menshealth.com.au.May 2021.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^"Tommy Chong unreleased" Hippy Land Rap "variant live action video".YouTube.
- ^"39th Durban International Film Festival awards".screenafrica.com.30 July 2018.Retrieved22 May2021.
- ^"HRIFF 2018 AWARD WINNERS".hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com.Retrieved24 May2021.