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Brett Haley (born ) is an American filmmaker and actor best known for his work on The Hero and Hearts Beat Loud.
Haley began his formal filmmaking education at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking in 2001, with a concentration in directing. He worked toward making a feature every summer, working with fellow UNCSA students to make up his crew. Of his time as a student, he says, "I learned a lot about what it means to be a collaborator at UNCSA. You learn quickly that film is very collaborative." Upon graduating in 2005, he moved to Los Angeles to work as a production assistant, but quickly relocated to Brooklyn when he realized that approach wasn't for him.
In 2015, he co-wrote, edited, and directed I'll See You in My Dreams. Marc Basch was his co-writer. It premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and went on to win awards for Best Actress and Best Director at the Louisiana Film Festival. Additionally, Blythe Danner was nominated for the Best Actress Award at the Gotham Awards for her role. In an interview, Sam Elliott says he "jumped at the chance to play a romantic lead" in the film; "it's always been what's on the page for me," says Elliott. "I don't know how this kid came up with such a gem about 70-year-olds at 29, or whatever he was when he wrote it."
Haley and his co-writer, Marc Basch, wrote The Hero specifically for Sam Elliott, who starred alongside Danner in I'll See You in My Dreams. Haley describes The Hero as his love letter to Elliott, saying that "Sam is the best. He is a true collaborator and an incredible actor and human being. He is so passionate about his work and, in my mind, he is an icon." Efilmcritic.com The Hero also stars Laura Prepon, Nick Offerman, Katharine Ross and Krysten Ritter, and premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It was released in the U.S. by The Orchard in June 2017. Deadline.com
He co-wrote and directed the 2018 film Hearts Beat Loud. It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and also played at the 2018 South By Southwest Film Festival. It was released in the US on June 8, 2018.
On July 20, 2020 it was announced that Haley would direct the Grease prequel Summer Lovin'.
Career
Haley's first feature film, The New Year, was co-written with his sister-in-law, novelist Elizabeth Kennedy, and made for $5,000. Although he considers himself a director first and foremost, Haley says, "I learned very young that if I wanted to make independent films and get those films off the ground, then I needed to be a writer. For me, it was important to start writing and discover: what am I going to write about? How am I going to write it?...That’s when I learned that I needed a writing partner. I write better with a partner and highly recommend that to those who are struggling". The New Year premiered at the Sarasota Film Festival in 2010 and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film.
Filmography
Film
2003 The Company You Keep Nate 2007 Reservation Road Brett 2010 The New Year Also editor 2015 I'll See You in My Dreams Karaoke singer (uncredited) 2017 The Hero Also editor And Then I Go 2018 Hearts Beat Loud 2020 All the Bright Places All Together Now 2026 People We Meet on Vacation
Television
5 episodes; also editor 11 episodes Episode: "I've Never Felt Before"
External links
Categories: Living People, 21st-century American Male Writers, 21st-century American Male Actors, American Film Editors, People From Key West, Florida, Male Actors From Pensacola, Florida, Male Actors From Illinois, Film Directors From Florida, Film Directors From Illinois, Film Producers From Illinois, Filmmakers From Illinois, Screenwriters From Florida, Screenwriters From Illinois, University Of North Carolina Alumni, 21st-century American Screenwriters, 1983 Births
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