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Written by Victoria
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03 Jul 2008 |
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Jonathan Levine is an impressive young and upcoming director. Born and raised in Manhattan’s wealthy Upper East Side, he always felt like an outsider. He attended a string of prestigious prep schools, where he was considered uncool and disregarded by his snobby, spoiled classmates. While his peers where primarily concerned about the vagaries of their own privileged lifestyles, Levine spent his leisure time creating films.
Levine pursued this passion at Brown University, studying art semiotics. He developed a narrative style, which was discouraged by the University community but earned him both a spot at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles and recognition in his later films. He received incredible success on his thesis short film “Shards” about a D.J and graffiti artist who struggles to kick drug addiction after his good friend dies overdosing on crystal-meth. The film won the best short film award at the American Black Film Festival in 2005 and was aired on HBO.
His latest work, “The Wackness,” which he wrote and directed, comes out in theatres this summer. The film, set in Manhattan during the summer of 1994, is about a troubled high school graduate. The Wackness was an audience award winner at the 2008 Sundance Film festival and is sure to be a hit. Unlike his childhood peers, Levine has always stayed true to his personal beliefs despite society’s pressure. His determination, sincerity, and artistic talent have guided his rise to the top, and now his pathetic social-climber classmates are reaching out to him to catch up on lost time. The tables have surely turned for Jonathan Levine, who is now apparently enjoying the experience of being sought after by those name-dropping cliquesters who previously excluded him… Read more... New York Times Wackness review in Variety Sundance interview with Levine
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