Benh Zeitlin

Benh Zeitlin Bio

Benjamin Harold Zeitlin (born October 14, 1982) is an American filmmaker best known for directing and co-writing Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), which earned him two Academy Award nominations. Born in Manhattan and raised in Sunnyside, Queens, New York, he is a Hastings High School and Wesleyan University alumnus. Zeitlin co-founded the Court 13 collective in 2004 and later moved to New Orleans to shoot Glory at Sea, his first short film. Beasts of the Southern Wild received Cannes’ Camera d’Or, Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize, and other festival honors, with Zeitlin also receiving a Satellite Humanitarian Award in 2012. His sister Eliza Zeitlin is a screenwriter and artist. In 2019 he was developing Wendy in Montserrat, a feature inspired by Peter Pan, signaling continued exploration of mythic, community-driven storytelling.

Early Life and Background

Zeitlin was born in Manhattan and raised in Sunnyside, Queens, New York, and in suburban Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. He is a graduate of Hastings High School and Wesleyan University. He was born to writers and folklorists Mary Amanda Dargan and Steven Joel Zeitlin, who founded the NYC non-profit cultural organization City Lore. His father, who is Jewish, spent most of his childhood in Brazil; his mother comes from a rural, Protestant background in Darlington, South Carolina. His younger sister is screenwriter and artist Eliza Zeitlin.

Path to Filmmaking

In 2004, Zeitlin co-founded the Court 13 independent collection of filmmakers, named after a neglected Wesleyan University squash court that he and his friends had once commandeered as a filming location. His younger sister Eliza Zeitlin and he moved to New Orleans while he was making his first short film, Glory at Sea, in 2008. This early work established his collaborative approach to filmmaking and his interest in creating films that capture the resilience and spirit of communities facing environmental challenges.

Benh Zeitlin Career

Early Career (2004-2012)

In 2004, Zeitlin co-founded Court 13, a collective of filmmakers dedicated to collaborative storytelling. His early work included short films and experimental projects that allowed him to develop his unique visual style and approach to narrative. During this period, Zeitlin moved to New Orleans, where he shot Glory at Sea, his first short film that showcased his distinctive approach to storytelling and visual language. This period of development established his commitment to creating films that capture the essence of communities and their relationship with their environment.

Breakthrough (2012)

In 2012, Zeitlin’s first feature, Beasts of the Southern Wild, adapted from a play entitled Juicy and Delicious by Lucy Alibar, won the Caméra d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Deauville American Film Festival. The film went on to earn the Los Angeles Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and the Seattle International Film Festival’s Golden Space Needle Award for Best Director. Zeitlin was also given a Humanitarian Award for his work on the film at the Satellite Awards 2012. Notably, Zeitlin both directed Beasts of the Southern Wild and co-composed the score.

Notable Works and Milestones

Beasts of the Southern Wild represents Zeitlin’s signature work, showcasing his distinctive visual style and commitment to telling stories about marginalized communities. For his directorial work and screenplay in Beasts of the Southern Wild, Zeitlin collected several additional awards and nominations. At the Gotham Independent Film Awards in 2012, he won the Breakthrough Director Award. At the same awards ceremony, Zeitlin received the inaugural Bingham Ray Award, which honors the independent filmmaker who died in 2012. Zeitlin also won a Humanitas Prize (as co-writer/director; shared with Alibar as co-writer), amongst other awards.

Benh Zeitlin Award Nominations

Zeitlin has received multiple award nominations throughout his career, most notably for his work on Beasts of the Southern Wild. In 2013, he received two nominations at the 85th Academy Awards: Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay (shared with Lucy Alibar), and the film itself was nominated for Best Picture. These nominations recognized Zeitlin’s distinctive vision and his ability to craft a powerful, intimate story that resonated with audiences and critics alike.

Benh Zeitlin Awards Won

Zeitlin has received numerous awards recognizing his contributions to cinema, particularly for his breakthrough film Beasts of the Southern Wild. At the 2012 Gotham Independent Film Awards, he won both the Breakthrough Director Award and the inaugural Bingham Ray Award. In 2012, Zeitlin was also awarded the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in the Visual Arts category and received a Humanitas Prize (as co-writer/director; shared with Lucy Alibar). Additionally, he won a Humanitarian Award for his work on Beasts of the Southern Wild at the Satellite Awards 2012.

Benh Zeitlin Family

Zeitlin was born to writers and folklorists Mary Amanda Dargan and Steven Joel Zeitlin, who founded the NYC non-profit cultural organization City Lore. His father, who is Jewish, spent most of his childhood in Brazil; his mother comes from a rural, Protestant background in Darlington, South Carolina. He has one younger sister, Eliza Zeitlin, who is also a screenwriter and artist. The family’s background in folklore and cultural preservation has influenced Zeitlin’s approach to storytelling, often incorporating elements of myth and community narratives into his work.

Personal Life

Benjamin Harold Zeitlin maintains a relatively private personal life. He moved to New Orleans in 2008 to work on his first short film, Glory at Sea, and established his base there while developing his feature film projects. Zeitlin continues to work through Court 13, the independent filmmaking collective he co-founded, maintaining his commitment to collaborative and community-driven storytelling approaches. In 2019, he was developing Wendy in Montserrat, an island south of Antigua, which signals his continued exploration of mythic, community-driven storytelling in his future projects.