Collin Schiffli | |
---|---|
Born | Collin Graham Schiffli Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
Alma mater | Columbia College Chicago |
Occupation(s) | Film director, producer, film editor |
Years active | 2008–present |
Website | schifflifilms |
Collin Graham Schiffli is an American film director, producer and editor. He has directed the independent films Animals, All Creatures Here Below and Die in a Gunfight.
Early life
Schiffli was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is the middle of three sons; his older brother, Brandon, is a screenwriter and script supervisor. Schiffli attended Carroll High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film from Columbia College Chicago in 2009. Soon after, Schiffli moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film.[1][2]
Career
Schiffli began his career writing and directing the short film Johnny Appleseed, Johnny Appleseed (2008). His next two shorts, Head Case (2009) and Band (2010), starred his good friend and frequent collaborator, actor David Dastmalchian.[3] Schiffli directed two more short films, Shortcake (2012) and Elias the Ant (2013).
Schiffli made his feature directorial debut with Animals (2014). The film was written and produced by David Dastmalchian and stars him and Kim Shaw as two heroin addicts in Chicago.[4] Animals won the Special Jury Award for Courage in Filmmaking at the SXSW Film Festival,[5] and received positive reviews from critics following its release in theaters and on video on demand platforms; A. O. Scott of The New York Times stated that Schiffli "shoots in a fluid style, tweaking colors and focus to register changes in perception and feeling".[6] Steve Dollar of The Wall Street Journal praised the director for keeping "a tight focus on character, as the couple's plight becomes increasingly dire".[7]
Schiffli's next feature, All Creatures Here Below (2018), is about a runaway couple (Dastmalchian and Karen Gillan) heading towards their hometown of Kansas City.[8] After its world premiere at the Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles,[9] the film was released theatrically by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the spring of 2019,[10] and garnered a positive reception; Dennis Harvey of Variety opined that "Schiffli directs with a nice balance between momentum and naturalism",[11] while Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times appreciated the director's "beautiful and unobtrusive style".[12]
Schiffli's latest film, Die in a Gunfight (2021), starring Alexandra Daddario, Diego Boneta, Justin Chatwin and Travis Fimmel, is described as an updated version of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.[13] Released in the summer by Lionsgate,[14] the film received mostly negative from critics; Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com gave the film 0.5 out of 4 stars and stated, "Schiffli's snarky and snide self-aware tone quickly grows wearisome, and his action sequences have a cheapness about them that's distancing".[15] In contrast, Mark Hughes of Forbes gave the film a positive review and stated, "[A] sleek, subversive, lushly fun action-crime thriller. One of the better films inspired by Romeo and Juliet, its a welcome addition to the director's résumé and deserves to find an audience".[16]
Filmography
As director
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2008 | Johnny Appleseed, Johnny Appleseed | Short film |
2009 | Head Case | Short film |
2010 | Band | Short film |
2012 | Shortcake | Short film |
2013 | Elias the Ant | Short film |
2014 | Animals | Feature directorial debut |
2018 | All Creatures Here Below | |
2021 | Die in a Gunfight |
As producer
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2012 | Shortcake | Short film |
Oscar's Escape | Short film | |
2013 | This Thing with Sarah | associate producer |
To Hell with a Bullet | co-producer | |
2014 | Animals | |
Following the Golden Arrow | documentary; executive producer | |
2015 | Play Faire |
As editor
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2010 | Band | Short film |
2011 | Alice Wants Dessert | Short film |
2012 | Shortcake | Short film |
2013 | Premature the Show | video |
Elias the Ant | Short film | |
2014 | Following the Golden Arrow | documentary |
As screenwriter
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2008 | Johnny Appleseed, Johnny Appleseed | Short film |
2009 | Head Case | Short film |
Awards and nominations
Award ceremony | Year | Work(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles | 2018 | All Creatures Here Below | Best Film | Won | [17] |
Flagler Film Festival | 2016 | Animals | Best Feature | Won | [18] |
Best Director | Won | ||||
Midwest Independent Film Festival | 2014 | Animals | Best Feature | Won | [19] |
Best Director | Won | ||||
South By Southwest | 2014 | Animals | Narrative Feature | Nominated | [20] |
Virginia Film Festival | 2014 | Animals | Narrative Feature | Won | [21] |
References
- ↑ Hackett, Kara (January 23, 2019). "From Fort Wayne to Hollywood: Meet 4 talented residents (or ex-residents) in the film industry". Input Fort Wayne. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Rickinson, Steve (March 2, 2014). "2014 SXSW Filmmaker Profile: Collin Schiffli (Director – 'Animals')". IndieNYC.com. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Hughes, Mark (July 16, 2021). "Interview: 'Die In A Gunfight' Collin Schiffli Talks Violence, Love, And 1990s Cinema". Forbes. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Metz, Nina (May 8, 2014). "Actor, screenwriter David Dastmalchian on his new film 'Animals'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ "ANIMALS Opens Nationwide". Screen Magazine. May 15, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Scott, A.O. (May 14, 2015). "Review: In 'Animals,' a Couple in Love With Heroin". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Dollar, Steve (May 13, 2015). "Argentina's New Wave, Plus Cinematic Selfies". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (May 9, 2016). "David Dastmalchian To Star In 'All Creatures Here Below'". Deadline. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (October 10, 2018). "'All Creatures Here Below' Trailer: Karen Gillan & David Dastmalchian Are On The Run In Indie Drama". Deadline. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 13, 2019). "Karen Gillan & David Dastmalchian Thriller 'All Creatures Here Below' Snapped Up By Samuel Goldwyn". Deadline. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Harvey, Dennis (May 16, 2019). "Film Review: 'All Creatures Here Below'". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Walsh, Katie (May 16, 2019). "Review: Karen Gillan takes a stark turn in dark indie 'All Creatures Here Below'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Lang, Brent (September 6, 2019). "Toronto: Alexandra Daddario, Diego Boneta Starring in 'Die In A Gunfight' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Lane, Carly (June 14, 2021). "Exclusive: 'Die in a Gunfight' Trailer Reveals a Star-Crossed and Stylized Love Story Starring Alexandra Daddario and Diego Boneta". Collider. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Lemire, Christy (July 16, 2021). "Die in a Gunfight". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Hughes, Mark (July 15, 2021). "Review: 'Die In A Gunfight' Offers Hip Action Spectacle And Emotional Surprises". Forbes. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ "10th Annual DTLA Film Festival Announces 2018 Filmmaker Awards". DTLA Film Festival. 22 October 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Ney, Sareth (January 18, 2016). "3rd Annual Flagler Film Festival takes place at Hilton Garden Inn". A Quarter and a Dream Pictures. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ L Ratny, Ruth (December 4, 2014). "MIFF displays indie "Bests" at annual awards night". Reel Chicago. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ Nadler, Becca (April 7, 2015). "Watch: Collin Schiffli Shows the Pain of Addiction in Trailer for 'Animals'". IndieWire. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ "2014 VFF In Photos". Issuu.com. 13 April 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2021.