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IMDbPro

Abel Ferrara

  • Director
  • Actor
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Abel Ferrara at an event for Pasolini (2014)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:29
The Projectionist (2019)
7 Videos
26 Photos
Born in the Bronx, Ferrara started making amateur films on Super 8 in his teens before making his debut with violent exploitation films such as 'Driller Killer' and 'Ms.45'. Good reviews for the latter helped create his cult reputation, leading to larger budgets, studio funding and 'name' actors (Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel), but he still likes taking his camera out onto the meanest streets of New York, as the ultra-cheap, highly controversial 'Bad Lieutenant' demonstrates.
BornJuly 19, 1951
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJuly 19, 1951
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 23 wins & 41 nominations

Photos26

Abel Ferrara in Pasolini (2014)
Abel Ferrara in 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011)
Abel Ferrara at an event for Sportin' Life (2020)
Abel Ferrara and Cristina Chiriac
Abel Ferrara
Willem Dafoe and Abel Ferrara at an event for Pasolini (2014)
Willem Dafoe, Abel Ferrara, Giada Colagrande, Chris Zois, and Cristina Chiriac at an event for Pasolini (2014)
Willem Dafoe and Abel Ferrara at an event for Pasolini (2014)
Abel Ferrara at an event for Pasolini (2014)
Abel Ferrara
Abel Ferrara at an event for Mary (2005)
Abel Ferrara at an event for Mary (2005)

Known for

Harvey Keitel in Bad Lieutenant (1992)
Bad Lieutenant
7.0
  • Director
  • 1992
Christopher Walken and Theresa Randle in King of New York (1990)
King of New York
6.9
  • Director
  • 1990
Asia Argento in New Rose Hotel (1998)
New Rose Hotel
5.1
  • Director
  • 1998
Dennis Hopper, Matthew Modine, Claudia Schiffer, and Béatrice Dalle in The Blackout (1997)
The Blackout
5.4
  • Director
  • 1997

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Director

  • Shia LaBeouf in Padre Pio (2022)
    Padre Pio
    • Director
    • 2022
  • Zeros and Ones (2021)
    Zeros and Ones
    • Director
    • 2021
  • Sportin' Life (2020)
    Sportin' Life
    • Director
    • 2020
  • Willem Dafoe in Siberia (2019)
    Siberia
    • Director
    • 2019
  • Willem Dafoe in Tommaso (2019)
    Tommaso
    • Director
    • 2019
  • The Projectionist (2019)
    The Projectionist
    • Director
    • 2019
  • Talking with the Vampires
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2018
  • Hans
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2017
  • Piazza Vittorio (2017)
    Piazza Vittorio
    • Director
    • 2017
  • Alive in France (2017)
    Alive in France
    • Director
    • 2017
  • Willem Dafoe in Pasolini (2014)
    Pasolini
    • Director
    • 2014
  • Gérard Depardieu in Welcome to New York (2014)
    Welcome to New York
    • Director
    • 2014
  • No Saints
    • Director
    • Video
    • 2012
  • Willem Dafoe and Shanyn Leigh in 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011)
    4:44 Last Day on Earth
    • Director
    • 2011
  • 42 One Dream Rush (2010)
    42 One Dream Rush
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2010

Actor

  • La passion selon Béatrice
    • Post-production
  • Soldato sotto la luna (2022)
    Soldato sotto la luna
    • Anicio
    • 2022
  • La notte brucia (2021)
    La notte brucia
    • Abel
    • Short
    • 2021
  • The App (2019)
    The App
    • 2019
  • Buon lavoro (2018)
    Buon lavoro
    • 2018
  • Ultima chiamata (2017)
    Ultima chiamata
    • Carceriere
    • Short
    • 2017
  • Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Black Butterfly (2017)
    Black Butterfly
    • Pat
    • 2017
  • Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Lonsdale, Pascal Greggory, The Residents, Priestess Miriam, Randy Palmer, Loris Gréaud, and Claude Parent in Sculpt (2016)
    Sculpt
    • 2016
  • Don Peyote (2014)
    Don Peyote
    • Manhattan Cab Driver
    • 2014
  • My Big-Assed Mother
    • Charles Bukowski
    • Short
    • 2012
  • Daddy Longlegs (2009)
    Daddy Longlegs
    • Robber
    • 2009
  • Exes (2006)
    Exes
    • Caïn
    • 2006
  • Zoë Lund in Ms .45 (1981)
    Ms .45
    • 1st Rapist (as Jimmy Laine)
    • 1981
  • Abel Ferrara in The Driller Killer (1979)
    The Driller Killer
    • Reno Miller (as Jimmy Laine)
    • 1979
  • 9 Lives of a Wet Pussy
    • Old Man (as Jimmy Laine)
    • 1976
  • The Hold Up (1972)
    The Hold Up
    • Johnny (voice, uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1972

Writer

  • Shia LaBeouf in Padre Pio (2022)
    Padre Pio
    • Writer
    • 2022
  • Zeros and Ones (2021)
    Zeros and Ones
    • written by
    • 2021
  • Willem Dafoe in Siberia (2019)
    Siberia
    • Writer
    • 2019
  • Willem Dafoe in Tommaso (2019)
    Tommaso
    • written by
    • 2019
  • Willem Dafoe in Pasolini (2014)
    Pasolini
    • based on an idea by
    • 2014
  • Gérard Depardieu in Welcome to New York (2014)
    Welcome to New York
    • screenplay
    • 2014
  • Willem Dafoe and Shanyn Leigh in 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011)
    4:44 Last Day on Earth
    • written by
    • 2011
  • Napoli, Napoli, Napoli (2009)
    Napoli, Napoli, Napoli
    • writer
    • 2009
  • Chelsea on the Rocks (2008)
    Chelsea on the Rocks
    • stories
    • 2008
  • Go Go Tales (2007)
    Go Go Tales
    • Writer
    • 2007
  • Mary (2005)
    Mary
    • Writer
    • 2005
  • 'R Xmas (2001)
    'R Xmas
    • screenplay
    • 2001
  • Asia Argento in New Rose Hotel (1998)
    New Rose Hotel
    • screenplay
    • 1998
  • Dennis Hopper, Matthew Modine, Claudia Schiffer, and Béatrice Dalle in The Blackout (1997)
    The Blackout
    • screenplay
    • 1997
  • Harvey Keitel in Bad Lieutenant (1992)
    Bad Lieutenant
    • written by
    • 1992

Videos8

Daddy Longlegs
Clip 2:00
Daddy Longlegs
Trailer
Trailer 0:33
Trailer
Chelsea on the Rocks
Trailer 2:56
Chelsea on the Rocks
The Projectionist
Trailer 1:29
The Projectionist
The Projectionist - official US trailer
Trailer 1:29
The Projectionist - official US trailer
'Pasolini': Official US Trailer
Trailer 2:14
'Pasolini': Official US Trailer
The Fine Art of Separating People From Their Money - Trailer
Trailer 1:03
The Fine Art of Separating People From Their Money - Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:18
Official Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Abel
  • Height
    • 5′ 8½″ (1.74 m)
  • Born
    • July 19, 1951
    • The Bronx, New York, USA
  • Spouse
    • Pauline LaMonde(divorced)
  • Children
      Endira Ferrara
  • Parents
    • Alfred J. Ferrara
  • Other works
    Music video: Directed Ben Folds Five video "Don't Change Your Plans" (1999).
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Biographical Movie
    • 4 Print Biographies
    • 5 Interviews
    • 4 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Is a close friend of fellow director Michael Mann. Ferrara directed episodes for Mann's TV shows Miami Vice (1984) and Crime Story (1986). Ferrara also makes private screenings of his films to Mann who, in exchange, gives him tips and advices on editing.
  • Quotes
    As barbaric as we are, it's a miracle we haven't blown ourselves off the face of the earth so far.
  • Trademarks
      Frequently casts Matthew Modine, Christopher Walken, Forest Whitaker, Dennis Hopper, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, David Caruso, Annabella Sciorra, Victor Argo, Paul Calderon, Asia Argento, Gretchen Mol, Giancarlo Esposito, Zoë Lund and Paul Hipp.

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