birth_place birth_date period article_title education name occupation
new york city , new york united states 3 february 1939 1974 -- 1996 -lrb- directing -rrb- michael cimino
 yale painting , 1963 -rrb- university -lrb- bfa painting , 1961 ; mfa michael cimino film directorproducer screenwriterauthor
michael cimino

michael cimino -lrb- ; born february 3 , 1939 -rrb- is an american film director , screenwriter , producer and author .
he is best known for directing , producing and co-writing the 1978 academy award-winning film `` the deer hunter '' and for writing and directing 1980 's financial and critical failure `` heaven 's gate . ''
