# David Lowery (director)

David Lowery (born December 26, 1980) is an American filmmaker. His film Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013), starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. In 2016, he directed the Disney film Pete's Dragon (2016), a live-action film which he had co-written. It was a new work loosely based on the same original story as the Disney 1977 musical of the same name. In 2017, he directed the drama film A Ghost Story and in 2018, he directed The Old Man & the Gun. In 2021, he directed the fantasy epic The Green Knight.

## Early life

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 26, 1980, David Lowery is the eldest of nine children born to Madeleine and Mark Lowery. When he was seven, his family moved to Irving, Texas, for his father's work. Lowery attended Irving High School.
At the age of 19, Lowery wrote and directed his first film, a short entitled Lullaby.

## Career

Lowery's first feature film, St. Nick, which follows two runaway children abandoned by their guardians, premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest festival. It won the Texas Filmmaker Award at the 2009 AFI Dallas International Film Festival.
In 2011, Lowery started his own production company, Sailor Bear. That same year, he wrote and directed the short film entitled Pioneer, which played at the Sundance Film Festival that year.
In 2013, Lowery wrote, directed and edited his second feature film, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It was selected to compete at the Critics' Week section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Lowery has said that he drew from great directors and their works for this film, citing Claire Denis's 35 Shots of Rum, Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller, and Paul Thomas Anderson and David Fincher as influences.
In addition to having edited films such as Amy Seimetz's Sun Don't Shine and Shane Carruth's Upstream Color, Lowery co-wrote Pit Stop with director Yen Tan. At the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, it was announced that Lowery would write and direct the film adaptation of the novel The Yellow Birds, written by Iraq War veteran Kevin Powers; it was a 2012 National Book Award finalist. The film was eventually directed by Alexandre Moors and stars Jack Huston, Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich and Jennifer Aniston.
In April 2016, Lowery directed a remake of Disney's Pete's Dragon, which was met with positive reviews. Lowery also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Toby Halbrooks. In July 2016, it was announced Lowery would direct an episode of Breakthrough for National Geographic Channel. In November 2016, it was announced Lowery had shot a new film, A Ghost Story, over the summer with Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck as a secret project.
Lowery next directed the 2018 drama film The Old Man & the Gun, starring Robert Redford as bank robber, Forrest Tucker, and Casey Affleck.

### 2020s

Lowery followed up The Old Man and the Gun with the medieval fantasy The Green Knight which stars Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Barry Keoghan, Ralph Ineson and Sean Harris. The film was scheduled to world premiere at South by Southwest in March 2020, and be released on May 29, 2020, but the premiere and release were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released on July 30, 2021.
Lowery directed a segment of the anthology film The Year of the Everlasting Storm which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in July 2021 and was released in theatres on 3 September 2021.
After working with Disney on Pete's Dragon, Lowery signed on to direct a live-action adaptation of their 1953 animated film Peter Pan in April 2016. The film, titled Peter Pan & Wendy and starring Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Jude Law as Captain Hook, and Ever Anderson as Wendy Darling, was released on Disney+ on April 28, 2023.
In March 2023, it was announced Lowery would write and direct the music drama film Mother Mary for A24, with Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel starring and Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX writing original songs for the project.

## Personal life

Lowery married filmmaker Augustine Frizzell in 2010. As of 2013, they live in Dallas. Lowery identifies as an atheist, and has been a vegan since approximately 1996.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Editor | Producer |
| 2005 | Deadroom | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2009 | It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home | No | Yes | No | No |
| 2009 | St. Nick | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2013 | Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| 2013 | Pit Stop | No | Yes | No | No |
| 2016 | Pete's Dragon | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| 2017 | A Ghost Story | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2017 | The Yellow Birds | No | Yes | No | No |
| 2018 | The Old Man & the Gun | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| 2021 | The Green Knight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2023 | Peter Pan & Wendy | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| TBA | Mother Mary | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Executive producer
* Minor Setback (2013)
* Person to Person (2017)
* Never Goin' Back (2018)
* Light from Light (2019)
* Miss Juneteenth (2020)
* We're All Going to the World's Fair (2022)
Short films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | DoP | Notes |
| 2000 | Lullaby | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also camera operator |
| 2000 | The Knocker | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
| 2003 | Still | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | No | |
| 2003 | Looking for Love | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| 2006 | G.D.M.F. | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2006 | Some Analog Lines | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2007 | The Outlaw Son | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2008 | A Catalog of Anticipations | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2008 | Coda | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2008 | Merrily, Merrily | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| 2009 | The Crane House | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
| 2009 | Boycrazy Promo | Yes | No | Executive | Yes | Yes | |
| 2009 | Boycrazy in Bed | Yes | No | Executive | Yes | Yes | |
| 2009 | Boycrazy Gets a Job | Yes | No | Executive | Yes | Yes | |
| 2009 | Boycrazy Bikini Mishap | Yes | No | Executive | Yes | Yes | |
| 2009 | Boycrazy at the Drug Store | Yes | No | Executive | Yes | Yes | |
| 2011 | Pioneer | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| 2011 | My Daily Routine | Yes | No | No | No | No | Documentary short |
| 2014 | Until We Could | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2021 | Dig Up My Darling | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Segment of The Year of the Everlasting Storm |
| 2022 | Oak Thorn & The Old Rose Of Love | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2024 | An Almost Christmas Story | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
Additional credits
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2008 | Blood on the Highway | Second unit director and assistant camera |
| 2008 | Ciao | Editor and co-producer |
| 2009 | Alexander the Last | Additional editor and sound recordist |
| 2009 | St. Nick | Editor |
| 2010 | Lovers of Hate | Cinematographer |
| 2010 | Audrey the Trainwreck | Cinematographer |
| 2010 | Shadowboxing | Editor |
| 2011 | Bad Fever | Editor |
| 2011 | Uncertain, TX | Editor |
| 2011 | Universal Squadrons | Editor |
| 2012 | Sun Don't Shine | Editor |
| 2012 | Reconvergence | Cinematographer |
| 2012 | Nor'easter | Editor |
| 2013 | Upstream Color | Editor |
| 2014 | Listen Up Philip | Producer |
| 2014 | Empire Builder | Editor and cinematographer |
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Happy Birthday | Videographer | |
| 2008 | Blood on the Highway | Vampire | |
| 2009 | Alexander the Last | Stagehand | |
| 2017 | A Ghost Story | Neighbor's Ghost | Uncredited |
| 2024 | Queer | Jim Cochan | |
| 2024 | An Almost Christmas Story | Additional voices | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Director | Executive producer | Writer | Episode(s) |
| 2014 | Rectify | Yes | No | No | "Donald the Normal" |
| 2017 | Breakthrough | Yes | No | No | "Addiction: A Psychedelic Cure?" |
| 2018 | Strange Angel | Yes | Yes | No | "Augurs of Spring" and "Ritual of Abduction" |
| 2021 | Cinema Toast | Yes | No | Yes | "The Gunshot Heard 'Round the World" |
| 2024 | Star Wars: Skeleton Crew | Yes | No | No | "Way, Way Out Past the Barrier" and "Very Interesting, As An Astrogation Problem" |

## Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2005 | Texas Film Festival | Best Feature Narrative | Deadroom | Won |
| 2008 | SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award | A Catalog of Anticipations | Nominated |
| 2009 | Dallas International Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize | St. Nick | Won |
| 2009 | Sidewalk Film Festival | Special Jury Award | St. Nick | Won |
| 2009 | St. Louis International Film Festival | New Filmmakers Forum Award | St. Nick | Won |
| 2009 | Thessaloniki Film Festival | Golden Alexander | St. Nick | Nominated |
| 2011 | 24fps International Short Film Festival | Best Short Film | Pioneer | Won |
| 2011 | Ashland Independent Film Festival | Best Short Film | Pioneer | Won |
| 2011 | Eastern Oregon Film Festival | Best Short Film | Pioneer | Nominated |
| 2011 | Hamptons International Film Festival | Golden Starfish Award | Pioneer | Nominated |
| 2011 | Philadelphia Film Festival | Special Jury Award | Pioneer | Won |
| 2011 | Sundance Film Festival | Short Filmmaking Award | Pioneer | Nominated |
| 2011 | SXSW Film Festival | Competition Award | Pioneer | Won |
| 2011 | SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award | Pioneer | Won |
| 2013 | Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Editing | Upstream Color | Nominated |
| 2013 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Editing | Upstream Color | Nominated |
| 2013 | Deauville Film Festival | Grand Special Prize | Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Nominated |
| 2013 | Gotham Awards | Best Feature | Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Nominated |
| 2013 | Palm Springs International Film Festival | Directors To Watch | Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Nominated |
| 2013 | Sundance Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize | Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Nominated |
| 2013 | Nashville Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Pit Stop | Won |
| 2014 | Independent Spirit Awards | John Cassavetes Award | Pit Stop | Nominated |
| 2014 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Editing | Upstream Color | Nominated |
| 2016 | Heartland Film Festival | Truly Moving Picture Award | Pete's Dragon | Won |
| 2017 | Boston Society of Film Critics | Best Film Editing | A Ghost Story | Won |
| 2017 | Deauville Film Festival | Revelation Prize | A Ghost Story | Won |
| 2017 | Deauville Film Festival | Critics Prize | A Ghost Story | Won |
| 2017 | Deauville Film Festival | Jury Prize | A Ghost Story | Won |
| 2017 | Deauville Film Festival | Grand Special Prize | A Ghost Story | Nominated |
| 2017 | Fantasia Film Festival | Camera Lucida Award | A Ghost Story | Won |
| 2017 | Sitges Film Festival | Carnet Jove Jury Award | A Ghost Story | Won |
| 2017 | Sundance Film Festival | Audience Award | A Ghost Story | Nominated |
| 2017 | Utah Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | A Ghost Story | Nominated |
| 2018 | Independent Spirit Awards | John Cassavetes Award | A Ghost Story | Nominated |
| 2018 | International Online Cinema Awards | Best Film Editing | A Ghost Story | Nominated |
| 2018 | London Film Festival | Best Film | The Old Man & the Gun | Nominated |
| 2018 | San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | The Old Man & the Gun | Nominated |
| 2021 | Cannes Film Festival | Golden Eye | The Year of the Everlasting Storm | Nominated |
| 2021 | Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Detroit Film Critics Society Awards | Best Director | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Detroit Film Critics Society Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Gotham Awards | Best Feature | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Gotham Awards | Best Screenplay | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | International Online Cinema Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | National Board of Review Awards | Top Independent Films | The Green Knight | Won |
| 2021 | Saturn Awards | Best Fantasy Film | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Seattle Film Critics Society | Best Director | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Seattle Film Critics Society | Best Screenplay | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | The Green Knight | Nominated |
| 2021 | Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | The Green Knight | Nominated |