Jeff Nichols

Jeff Nichols
Nichols at the 2008 San Francisco Indyfest
Born (1978-12-07) December 7, 1978
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Occupation Film director, screenwriter
Years active 2006–present

Jeff Nichols (born December 7, 1978) is an American film director and screenwriter from Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Nichols has directed Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), Mud (2012), Midnight Special (2016), and Loving (2016).

In his review of Midnight Special, Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers said "the Arkansas-born Nichols, 37, already ranks with the best American directors of his generation".[1]

Career

Nichols studied filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He wrote his first screenplay, Shotgun Stories, with actor Michael Shannon in mind to play the lead, and contacted the actor through a former teacher.[2] The film was shot on a budget of only $250,000, and released in 2007.

Later, Nichols moved into larger independent productions with 2011's Take Shelter, also starring Shannon, and 2012's Mud, starring Matthew McConaughey, which competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. In 2012, Nichols acted as President of the Jury of the 7th Rome Film Festival.

His 2016 sci-fi drama film Midnight Special competed for the Golden Bear at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.[3][4] The same year, he directed the drama Loving, a film about the landmark U.S. civil rights court case Loving v. Virginia, which was nominated for numerous awards, including a Golden Globe nomination for lead actor Joel Edgerton and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for lead actress Ruth Negga.

So far, all films directed by Nichols have featured Michael Shannon either in a leading (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Midnight Special) or supporting capacity (Mud, Loving).

In 2018 he directed the short film, “Long Way Back Home", inspired by a song of the same name that was written by his brother Ben and released by the country punk band, Lucero. It stars Michael Shannon, who searches the streets and backroads of Memphis for his two younger brothers, played by Garrett Hedlund and Scoot McNairy. [5]

Style and influences

Nichols notes Mark Twain's influence on him.[6]

Personal life

Nichols was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is the brother of Lucero guitarist and singer Ben Nichols.[7]

Filmography

Year Film Credited as Rotten Tomatoes
Director Writer Producer
2007 Shotgun Stories Yes Yes Yes 91%
2011 Take Shelter Yes Yes 92%
2012 Mud Yes Yes 98%
2016 Midnight Special Yes Yes 83%
2016 Loving Yes Yes 89%
2016 In the Radiant City Yes
TBA Alien Nation remake Yes Yes

References

  1. ↑ Rolling Stone
  2. ↑ Wired
  3. ↑ "2012 Official Selection". Cannes. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Cannes Film Festival 2012 line-up announced". Time Out. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  5. ↑ http://www.musicnewsnet.com/2018/08/short-film-by-jeff-nichols-based-on-luceros-long-way-back-home-tune-premieres.html
  6. ↑ Leffler, Rebecca (May 26, 2012). "Cannes 2012: Jeff Nichols' 'Mud' Slides into Competition with Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon". The Hollywood Reporter.
  7. ↑ Coyle, Jake (April 17, 2013). "With Twain in mind, director Jeff Nichols plumbs the depths of love in 'Mud'". The Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
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