Occupation Writer/Director Website www.damiondietz.com | Name Damion Dietz Role Film director | |
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Alma mater University of Southern California Education University of Southern California Movies Dog Tags, Neverland, Love Life, Fag Hag, Beverly Kills Similar Paul Preiss, Hoyt Richards, Candy Clark, Rick Sparks, Ronnie Kerr | ||
Damion Dietz is an American writer and film director known for his award-winning underground/indie films.
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Background
A graduate of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, Dietz' debut feature film Fag Hag (1998), a politically incorrect, low-budget satire for Troma Entertainment, was described as "a punk, underground trash cinema classic" (New York Post / Page Six), "a savagely funny, deranged comedy of manners" (Chicago Tribune), and "rollicking, trashy and clever" (Variety). The film stars Dietz, Stephanie Orff and features Wil Wheaton.
Dietz' subsequent films have also skewered popular culture and/or dealt with characters on the fringe. The award-winning Neverland (2003), a surreal and modern retelling of the classic J.M. Barrie play Peter Pan, stars Rick Sparks, Melany Bell, Gary Kelley, and anime voice actress Kari Wahlgren. The film also features appearances from Wil Wheaton and Scott Mechlowicz. Other films include Beverly Kills (2005), a campy farce about a terrorist cult of failed Hollywood actors and Love Life (2006), a melodrama about the marriage of convenience between a closeted former athlete and his lesbian wife, which premiered at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco and was selected as the benefit film for the Human Rights Campaign.
Dietz' film Dog Tags (2008), financed and distributed theatrically in the US and UK by TLA Releasing, is a sharp departure from his satirical earlier work, prompting the Village Voice to note "in 'Dog Tags', Dietz gets serious and is all the better for it... he has freed himself as a writer". The acclaimed drama centers around a Marine on leave and the sexually confused man with whom he develops an intense bond. The film stars Paul Preiss (as Nate Merritt), Bart Fletcher (as Andy Forte), Amy Lindsay and Academy Award nominee Candy Clark.
Dietz is a member of Writers Guild of America, West (WGAw).