Zal Batmanglij
Zal Batmanglij | |
|---|---|
 Batmanglij at Wondercon 2012 | |
| Born | April 28, 1981 Vence,France |
| Education | Georgetown University(BA) American Film Institute(MFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Parent | Najmieh Batmanglij |
| Relatives | Rostam Batmanglij(brother) |
Zal Batmanglij(born April 28, 1981) is an American film director and screenwriter. He directed and co-wrote the 2011 filmSound of My Voiceand the 2013 filmThe East,both of which premiered at theSundance Film Festival,as well as theNetflixseriesThe OA,which debuted in 2016.
Early life and education
[edit]Batmanglij was born in 1981 in France[1]toIranianparents and grew up inWashington, D.C.His mother,Najmieh Batmanglij,is a cookbook author and chef; his father is a book publisher.[2]His younger brotherRostamwas a founding member of the bandVampire Weekend.Both brothers are gay.[3]
Batmanglij studied anthropology and English atGeorgetown University,graduating in 2002. At Georgetown he metMike Cahillin a philosophy class. They took a screenwriting course together and co-directed a short film that won the Georgetown Film Festival.Brit Marlingsaw the film and asked if she could work with them.[4]Several years later, following Marling's graduation, the three friends moved toLos Angeles, California,where Batmanglij was a directing fellow at theAFI Conservatory.[5]For his thesis film, he made a 35mm short calledThe Recordist(2007), which starred Marling.[6]
Career
[edit]In 2011, Batmanglij's debut feature,Sound of My Voice,written with Marling and starring her, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[7]Shortly thereafter,Fox Searchlight PicturespurchasedSound of My Voice,as well as Batmanglij and Marling's next feature script,The East.[8]Batmanglij also directedThe East,starring Marling,Elliot Page,andAlexander Skarsgård.The film premiered at Sundance in 2013.[9]
Batmanglij and Marling collaborated to create drama seriesThe OA,which debuted in 2016 onNetflix.It was written by Marling and Batmanglij, who produced the series along withDede GardnerandJeremy KleinerofPlan B,andMichael Sugarof Anonymous Content.[10]
Filmography
[edit]Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Recordist | Yes | Yes |
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Sound of My Voice | Yes | Yes |
| 2013 | The East | Yes | Yes |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive producer |
Creator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Wayward Pines | Yes | No | No | No | Episodes "Our Town, Our Law" and "One of Our Senior Realtors Has Chosen to Retire" |
| 2016–2019 | The OA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Directed 13 episodes, wrote 7 episodes |
| 2023 | A Murder at the End of the World | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Directed 4 episodes, wrote 6 episodes |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Gotham Award | Breakthrough Director | Sound of My Voice | Nominated |
| 2013 | Independent Spirit Award | Best First Feature | Nominated | |
| Traverse City Film Festival | Founders Prize For Best Drama | The East | Won | |
| 2018 | Writers Guild of America Award | Episodic Drama | The OA(Episode "Homecoming" ) | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^Wilson, Kate Asche (October 17, 2012)."5 Things You Need to Know aboutSound of My Voice".On Demand Weekly.RetrievedJanuary 24,2013.
- ^Baron, Zach (May 24, 2013)."'The East' Is the New Film From Zal Batmanglij ".The New York Times.
- ^Baron, Zach (May 24, 2013)."A Trespasser Sneaks Up on Hollywood".The New York Times.
Both brothers are gay, a realization that Mr. [Zal] Batmanglij said he found challenging and liberating...
- ^Chang, Kee (April 26, 2012)."Q&A with Zal Batmanglij".Anthem Magazine.RetrievedJanuary 24,2013.
- ^Staff (December 3, 2010)."Alumni Featured in Sundance Film Festival Competition".Georgetown University.RetrievedJanuary 24,2013.
- ^Feldman, Dana (April 24, 2012)."Interviews with Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling and Christopher Denham of 'Sound of My Voice'".Beatweek Magazine.RetrievedJanuary 24,2013.
- ^"A Cult and A Time Traveler in NEXT Entry" The Sound of My Voice "".IndieWire.January 28, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 23,2024.
- ^"Fox Searchlight Backing The East From The Sound of My Voice Duo Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij".IndieWire.June 15, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 23,2024.
- ^"The East's Alexander Skarsgard, Brit Marling on" Emotional "Festival Premiere".The Hollywood Reporter.January 26, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 23,2024.
- ^"Netflix Greenlights 'The OA' Reuniting Brit Marling And Zal Batmanglij".Deadline. March 5, 2015.RetrievedMarch 5,2015.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1981 births
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American screenwriters
- AFI Conservatory alumni
- American gay writers
- American LGBT film directors
- American LGBT people of Asian descent
- American LGBT screenwriters
- American male screenwriters
- American thriller writers
- American writers of Iranian descent
- Film directors from Washington, D.C.
- French emigrants to the United States
- Gay screenwriters
- Georgetown University College of Arts & Sciences alumni
- LGBT film producers
- LGBT people from Washington, D.C.
- LGBT television directors
- Living people
- Screenwriters from Washington, D.C.