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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)
8 Videos
28 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
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 24 wins & 42 nominations total

    Photos28

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    + 21
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    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
    5.2
    • Director
    • 1998
    Zeros and Ones (2021)
    Zeros and Ones
    3.3
    • Director
    • 2021

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Director



    • American Nails
      • Director
      • Pre-production



    • Turn in the Wound (2024)
      Turn in the Wound
      4.3
      • Director
      • 2024
    • Shia LaBeouf in Padre Pio (2022)
      Padre Pio
      4.4
      • Director
      • 2022
    • Zeros and Ones (2021)
      Zeros and Ones
      3.3
      • Director
      • 2021
    • Sportin' Life (2020)
      Sportin' Life
      5.6
      • Director
      • 2020
    • Willem Dafoe in Siberia (2020)
      Siberia
      4.8
      • Director
      • 2020
    • Willem Dafoe in Tommaso (2019)
      Tommaso
      6.2
      • Director
      • 2019
    • The Projectionist (2019)
      The Projectionist
      6.1
      • Director
      • 2019
    • Talking with the Vampires
      5.6
      Short
      • Director
      • 2018
    • Hans
      5.1
      Short
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Piazza Vittorio (2017)
      Piazza Vittorio
      6.3
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Alive in France (2017)
      Alive in France
      5.6
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Willem Dafoe in Pasolini (2014)
      Pasolini
      5.9
      • Director
      • 2014
    • Gérard Depardieu in Welcome to New York (2014)
      Welcome to New York
      5.6
      • Director
      • 2014
    • No Saints
      3.4
      Video
      • Director
      • 2012
    • Abel Ferrara's Pizza Connection
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
      • 2012

    Actor



    • Judas' Gospel
      • Herodes
      • Post-production
      • 2025
    • Marty Supreme
      • Completed
      • 2025
    • Embryo: Beyond the Door
      • (rumored)
      • Pre-production



    • Siegfriedsdorf
      Short
      • Narrator
      • 2023
    • Soldato sotto la luna (2022)
      Soldato sotto la luna
      5.7
      • Anicio
      • 2022
    • La notte brucia (2021)
      La notte brucia
      6.2
      Short
      • Abel
      • 2021
    • The App (2019)
      The App
      2.8
      • 2019
    • Buon lavoro (2018)
      Buon lavoro
      5.9
      • 2018
    • Ultima chiamata (2017)
      Ultima chiamata
      Short
      • Carceriere
      • 2017
    • Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Black Butterfly (2017)
      Black Butterfly
      6.1
      • 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
      5.8
      • 2016
    • Don Peyote (2014)
      Don Peyote
      3.4
      • Manhattan Cab Driver
      • 2014
    • My Big-Assed Mother
      Short
      • Charles Bukowski
      • 2012
    • Daddy Longlegs (2009)
      Daddy Longlegs
      6.9
      • Robber
      • 2009
    • Exes (2006)
      Exes
      4.4
      • Caïn
      • 2006
    • Zoë Lund in Ms .45 (1981)
      Ms .45
      6.8
      • First Rapist (as Jimmy Laine)
      • 1981
    • The Driller Killer (1979)
      The Driller Killer
      5.2
      • Reno Miller (as Jimmy Laine)
      • 1979
    • 9 Lives of a Wet Pussy
      4.0
      • Old Man (as Jimmy Laine)
      • 1976

    Writer



    • American Nails
      • Writer
      • Pre-production



    • Shia LaBeouf in Padre Pio (2022)
      Padre Pio
      4.4
      • written by
      • 2022
    • Zeros and Ones (2021)
      Zeros and Ones
      3.3
      • written by
      • 2021
    • Willem Dafoe in Siberia (2020)
      Siberia
      4.8
      • screenplay
      • 2020
    • Willem Dafoe in Tommaso (2019)
      Tommaso
      6.2
      • written by
      • 2019
    • Willem Dafoe in Pasolini (2014)
      Pasolini
      5.9
      • based on an idea by
      • 2014
    • Gérard Depardieu in Welcome to New York (2014)
      Welcome to New York
      5.6
      • screenplay
      • 2014
    • Willem Dafoe and Shanyn Leigh in 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011)
      4:44 Last Day on Earth
      4.6
      • written by
      • 2011
    • Napoli, Napoli, Napoli (2009)
      Napoli, Napoli, Napoli
      6.2
      • writer
      • 2009
    • Chelsea on the Rocks (2008)
      Chelsea on the Rocks
      5.9
      • stories
      • 2008
    • Go Go Tales (2007)
      Go Go Tales
      5.8
      • Writer
      • 2007
    • Juliette Binoche in Mary (2005)
      Mary
      5.7
      • Writer
      • 2005
    • 'R Xmas (2001)
      'R Xmas
      5.7
      • screenplay
      • 2001
    • Asia Argento in New Rose Hotel (1998)
      New Rose Hotel
      5.2
      • screenplay
      • 1998
    • Dennis Hopper, Matthew Modine, Claudia Schiffer, and Béatrice Dalle in The Blackout (1997)
      The Blackout
      5.4
      • screenplay
      • 1997
    • Mylène Farmer in Mylène Farmer: California (1996)
      Mylène Farmer: California
      7.3
      Music Video
      • screenplay
      • 1996

    Videos8

    Daddy Longlegs
    Clip 2:00
    Daddy Longlegs
    Trailer
    Trailer 0:33
    Trailer
    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

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative names
      • Abel
    • Height
      • 5′ 8½″ (1.74 m)
    • Born
      • July 19, 1951
      • The Bronx, New York, USA
    • Spouses
        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.

    FAQ10

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