David Lowery Bio
David Lowery (born December 26, 1980) is an American filmmaker and director known for crafting intimate, artistically ambitious independent films and transitioning to high-profile studio projects. His work spans genres from contemporary drama to medieval fantasy, marked by precise visual composition and thoughtful storytelling. Lowery first gained critical recognition with his Sundance-nominated feature Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013), and has since directed major studio productions including Pete’s Dragon (2016) while maintaining a devoted following among cinephiles and critics for his more experimental work.
Early Life and Background
David Lowery was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 26, 1980, to Madeleine and Mark Lowery. He is the eldest of nine children. When he was seven years old, his family relocated to Irving, Texas, for his father’s work. Lowery attended Irving High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His large family and Midwestern-to-Texan upbringing provided a grounded perspective that would later influence his character-driven storytelling.
At the age of 19, while still a teenager, Lowery wrote and directed his first film, a short entitled Lullaby. This early accomplishment demonstrated his ambition and creative drive from a young age. The experience of making his first film set him on the path toward a career in filmmaking that would take him from local Texas productions to international cinema.
Path to Filmmaking
Lowery began building his craft through independent filmmaking in the Dallas area. He created his first feature-length film, St. Nick, which follows two runaway children abandoned by their guardians. The film premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest festival and won the Texas Filmmaker Award at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival. This early success established him within the regional filmmaking community and demonstrated his ability to tell compelling stories with limited resources.
In 2011, Lowery founded his own production company, Sailor Bear, to develop and produce his projects. That same year, he wrote and directed the short film Pioneer, which played at the Sundance Film Festival. He also expanded his skills by editing films for other directors, including Amy Seimetz’s Sun Don’t Shine and Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color. Additionally, he co-wrote the film Pit Stop with director Yen Tan, further establishing his reputation within the independent film community.
David Lowery Career
Early Career (2009–2013)
After the success of St. Nick and his Sundance short Pioneer, Lowery continued to build momentum in the independent film world. He worked on various projects while developing his next feature. His experience editing work for other filmmakers broadened his technical skills and exposed him to different storytelling approaches. During this period, he was briefly attached to direct the film adaptation of the novel The Yellow Birds, written by Iraq War veteran Kevin Powers, though the project eventually went to another director.
Breakthrough (2013)
Lowery achieved major critical recognition in 2013 with his second feature film, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints. Written, directed, and edited by Lowery, the film starred Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara in a story about love, loyalty, and sacrifice set against the Texas landscape. The film received a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It was also selected to compete at the Critics’ Week section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Lowery has cited influences including Claire Denis, Robert Altman, Paul Thomas Anderson, and David Fincher for this project.
Notable Works and Milestones
Following his Sundance and Cannes recognition, Lowery made his transition to studio filmmaking with the Disney live-action remake of Pete’s Dragon in 2016, which he also co-wrote alongside Toby Halbrooks. The film received positive reviews for its luminous visual style and heartfelt storytelling. In 2017, he released A Ghost Story, a meditative exploration of grief and time featuring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck in a minimalist drama that solidified his reputation among art-house audiences.
Lowery continued directing distinctive projects including The Old Man & the Gun (2018), starring Robert Redford in what became his final film role before retirement. The film was praised for its elegiac tone and masterful performances. In 2021, Lowery released The Green Knight, his most ambitious project yet. The medieval fantasy epic starred Dev Patel alongside Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Barry Keoghan, Ralph Ineson, and Sean Harris. Originally scheduled for a 2020 release, the film faced pandemic-related delays before opening in July 2021 to critical acclaim.
That same year, Lowery directed a segment of the anthology film The Year of the Everlasting Storm, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He continued his work with major studios by directing Peter Pan and Wendy for Disney, released on Disney Plus in April 2023. The film starred Jude Law as Captain Hook and Alexander Molony as Peter Pan. His most recent announced project is Mother Mary, a musical psychological drama for A24 starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, with original songs by Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX.
David Lowery Award Nominations
Lowery received a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, one of the most prestigious recognitions in independent filmmaking.
David Lowery Awards Won
He won the Texas Filmmaker Award at the 2009 AFI Dallas International Film Festival for St. Nick.
David Lowery Family
Lowery married filmmaker Augustine Frizzell in 2010. The couple has collaborated on projects over the years. Lowery has maintained strong ties to the Dallas area, where he has lived and worked for much of his career.
Personal Life
Lowery identifies as an atheist and has followed a vegan lifestyle since approximately 1996, when he was a teenager. He maintains a relatively private personal life while remaining active in the filmmaking community. His commitment to his craft and his distinctive artistic vision have made him one of the more respected contemporary American directors working across both independent and mainstream cinema.