Tony Bui

Tony Bui
Born (1973-09-14) September 14, 1973
Saigon, Vietnam
Occupation Direct, Producer, Writer

Tony Bui (born September 14, 1973) is a Vietnamese-born American independent film director in the U.S., most famous for his 1999 film Three Seasons, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and became the only film ever to win both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize there. The film was based on Bui's own experiences dealing with the changing landscape and people of his ancestral home of Vietnam. The film starred Harvey Keitel.

Biography

Early life

Bui was born in Vietnam and in 1975 came to the U.S. at the age of two years with his family, as a refugee of the U.S.-Vietnamese war, leaving Vietnam approximately one week before the Fall of Saigon. He was raised in Sunnyvale, California, where his father ran a video store which led to his interest in cinema.[1] He studied film at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.[1]

Career

Bui visited Vietnam several times before making first short film, the highly successful Yellow Lotus, which also debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to play at festivals around the world.

He has also produced Green Dragon, starring Patrick Swayze and Forest Whitaker, for his older brother Timothy Linh Bui, as well as writing several screenplays for production companies. He is believed to be developing another feature film project. For a brief time he was associated with Lazarus, a film in development at Warner Brothers.

Personal life

Bui is the brother of Timothy Linh Bui, a film director and producer. The two have worked together on several films. He is also the nephew of the Vietnamese actor Đơn Dương.

Filmography

Year Film Credited as
Director Producer Writer Actor
1995 Yellow Lotus Yes Yes Yes
1999 Three Seasons Yes Yes Yes
2001 Green Dragon Yes Yes
2005 My Name Is... Yes

Awards and nominations

Austin Film Festival

  • 2001: Won, "Best Advance Screening" - Green Dragon

49th Berlin International Film Festival

  • 1999: Nominated, "Golden Berlin Bear Award" - Three Seasons[2]

Humanitas Prize

  • 2001: Won, "Best Film" - Green Dragon

Independent Spirit Award

  • 2000: Nominated, "Best First Feature (Over $500,000)" - Three Seasons

Portland International Film Festival

  • 1999: Won, "Best First Film" - Three Seasons

Stockholm International Film Festival

  • 1999: Nominated, "Best Film" - Three Seasons

Sundance Film Festival

  • 1999: Won, "Audience Award for Best Dramatic Film" - Three Seasons
  • 1999: Won, " Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Film" - Three Seasons

References

  1. 1 2 Bayor, Ronald H. (2011). Multicultural America: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 2268. ISBN 0313357870.
  2. ↑ "Berlinale: 1999 Programme". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
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