{{short description|American filmmaker}} '''Adam Leon''' is an American film director and writer working in New York City. His first feature film, ''Gimme the Loot'', won the Grand Jury Prize at South by Southwest and premiered internationally at the Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard) in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2012/04/cannes-adds-seven-more-titles-to-lineup-sxsw-winner-gimme-the-loot-among-new-additions-47776/ |title=Cannes Adds Seven More Titles to Lineup; SXSW Winner 'Gimme the Loot' Among New Additions |last=Smith |first=Nigel |publisher=James Israel |date=30 April 2012 |website=IndieWire |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> Leon's second feature, ''Tramps'', premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, where Netflix acquired worldwide rights.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/netflix-buys-tramps-tiff-2016-1201864790/ |title=Toronto: Netflix Buys Adam Leon's Romantic Comedy "Tramps" |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=19 September 2016 |website=Variety |access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref> His newest film, ''Italian Studies'', stars Vanessa Kirby.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/vanessa-kirby-adam-leon-wrap-drama-in-new-york-city-1202570769/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307030035/https://deadline.com/2019/03/vanessa-kirby-adam-leon-wrap-drama-in-new-york-city-1202570769/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2019|title=Vanessa Kirby, Adam Leon Wrap Drama In New York City|first1=Andreas|last1=Wiseman|date=March 6, 2019}}</ref> Leon's films have received critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/22/movies/gimme-the-loot-directed-by-adam-leon.html |title=Larceny For The Sake of Art; 'Gimme the Loot' Directed by Adam Leon |last=Scott |first=A.O. |work=The New York Times |date=21 March 2013 |access-date=15 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/tramps-923781 |title="Tramps" Film Review: TIFF 2016 |last=Rooney |first=David |date=10 September 2016 |website=Hollywood Reporter |access-date=15 November 2016}}</ref>
== Biography == Born and raised in Manhattan, Leon attended Hunter College High School and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/03/gimme-the-loot-adam-leon |title="Gimme the Loot": Celebrating a Movie About Black Teens Where Nobody Gets Shot |last=Barone |first=Matt |publisher=Rich Antoniello |date=22 March 2013 |website=Complex |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> He worked as a production assistant and as a coordinator at various film festivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2013/03/gimme-the-loot-director-adam-leon-talks-his-indie-bronx-adventure-meryl-streep-and-barry-lyndon-198756/ |title='Gimme the Loot' Director Adam Leon Talks His Indie Bronx Adventure, Meryl Streep and 'Barry Lyndon' |last=Savage |first=Sophie |publisher=James Israel |date=18 March 2013 |website=IndieWire |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> During this time, he directed several shorts and music videos, including co-directing and co-writing the short film Killer, which premiered at the New Directors/New Films festival in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmlinc.org/films/filmmaker-talk-meet-the-new-directors/ |title=Filmmaker Talk: Meet the New Directors |website=Film Society Lincoln Center |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> The short featured the debut of Ty Hickson who would later co-star in Gimme the Loot.
==''Gimme the Loot''== Leon's debut feature follows the story of two graffiti writers from the Bronx who, over the course of two summer days, attempt to tag the famed Mets Home Run Apple in a bid for glory and revenge on a rival crew.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-mov-0327-gimme-the-loot-2-20130329-column.html |title='Gimme the Loot' a New York tale of love, larceny ★★★ 1/2 |last=Phillips |first=Michael |date=28 March 2013 |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> The film received positive reviews, scoring 92% based on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with Roger Ebert calling it, “A remarkably natural and unaffected film about friendship” and other notable positive reviews coming from the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and Chicago Sun-Times.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gimme_the_loot_2012|title=Gimme The Loot Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes| website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=22 March 2013 |access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> Upon its 2013 theatrical release, the movie was officially “presented” by Oscar-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2013/02/jonathan-demme-puts-his-tag-on-graffiti-filled-indie-gimme-the-loot-430477/ |title=Jonathan Demme Puts His Tag On Graffiti-Filled Indie 'Gimme The Loot' |last=Fleming |first=Mike |date=14 February 2013 |website=Deadline |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref>
==''Tramps''==
{{Main|Tramps (2016 film)}}
Leon's second feature film, ''Tramps'', premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, where Netflix acquired worldwide rights.<ref name="auto"/> ''Tramps'' stars Callum Turner and Grace Van Patten and features Mike Birbiglia in a supporting role. It has received critical praise, holding a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of September 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tramps_2016/|title=Tramps Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=19 December 2016}}</ref>
==Selected awards and honors== *2012 SXSW Grand Jury Award (won)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2012/film/news/loot-wins-sxsw-grand-jury-prize-for-best-narrative-feature-1118051442/ |title='Loot' wins SXSW grand jury prize for best narrative feature |last=Punter |first=Jennie |date=13 March 2012 |website=Variety |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> *2012 Cannes Film Festival Camera D’or (nominated)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/festival/aroundTheSelection/2012/camdor2012.html |title=Around the selection 2012 : Caméra d'Or |website=Festival De Cannes |access-date=31 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218132508/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/festival/aroundTheSelection/2012/camdor2012.html |archive-date=18 December 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> *2013 Independent Spirit Awards Someone to Watch (won)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmindependent.org/press/press-releases/spirit-awards-filmmaker-grant-winners-announced/ |title=Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant Winners Announced |last=Longstreet |first=Greg |date=12 January 2013 |website=Film Independent |access-date=31 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221232824/http://www.filmindependent.org/press/press-releases/spirit-awards-filmmaker-grant-winners-announced/ |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *2013 Independent Spirit Awards Best First Film (nominated)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/film-independent-spirit-awards-2013-full-list-nominees/story?id=18576349 |title=Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013: Full List of Nominees |date=23 February 2013 |website=ABC News |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref> *2013 Gotham Awards Best First Feature (nominated)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ifp.org/press/nominees-announced-for-the-23rd-annual-gotham-independent-film-awards-by-ifp/#.V8w9hZMrKt9 |title=Nominees Announced for the 23rd Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards By IFP |last=Schoenbrun |first=Dan |date=24 October 2013 |website=Independent Filmmaker Project |access-date=31 August 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|30em}} {{Adam Leon}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leon, Adam}} Category:Film directors from New York City Category:Mass media people from Manhattan Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Hunter College High School alumni