{{short description|American filmmaker and photographer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Elegance Bratton | image = Elegance Bratton 2022 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Bratton at the 2022 Montclair Film Festival | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|May 3, 1979}} | birth_place = Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Director, writer, producer, photographer | alma_mater = Columbia University (BA)<br>New York University (MFA) | years_active = 2014–present | spouse = Chester Algernal Gordon | children = }}
'''Elegance Bratton''' (born May 3, 1979) is an American filmmaker and photographer.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/style/elegance-bratton-filmmaker-my-house-ball-pier-kids.html|title=Category Is … Filmmaker Realness|website=The New York Times|date=June 26, 2018 |access-date=12 March 2019|last1=Hawgood |first1=Alex }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nhfilmfestival.com/elegance-bratton/|title=ELEGANCE BRATTON & HIS UNIQUE JOURNEY TOWARD FILMMAKING|website=nhfilmfestival.com|date=July 24, 2018 |access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2013/09/03/pier-kids-the-life_n_3857976.html|title='Pier Kids:The Life,' Elegance Bratton Film, Evidences The Struggles Of LGBT Homeless Youth|website=huffingtonpost.in|date=September 3, 2013 |access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref> He began his career in the 2010s, writing, directing, and producing a variety of projects including the short film ''Walk for Me'', the reality television series ''My House'', and the documentary film ''Pier Kids''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/03/preview-documentary-pier-kids-the-life-on-homeless-lgbt-youth-of-color-161322/|title=Preview Documentary 'Pier Kids: The Life' on Homeless LGBT Youth of Color|website=indiewire.com|access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref>
Bratton's feature film directorial debut, ''The Inspection'', premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival and was released by A24 that November.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
==Early life==
Elegance was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and raised in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. At age 16, he was kicked out of his home for being gay and spent 10 years being homeless before joining the Marines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/03/gay-marines-amazing-journey-from-homeless-shelter-to-ivy-league/|title=Gay Marine's Amazing Journey From Homeless Shelter to Ivy League|work=ABC News|access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref> After completing his boot camp, he served as a combat camera production specialist in Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii, shooting videos and taking photographs for the Marines <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/The-Incredible-Story-Of-A-Homeless-Teenager-Who-Went-On-To-Become-A-Star-Marine/articleshow/32327541.cms|title=The Incredible Story of a Homeless Teenager Who Went On To Become A Star Marine|website=businessinsider.in|access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2022/11/21/for-elegance-bratton-a-destiny-realized-in-the-inspection/ | title=For Elegance Bratton, a destiny realized in 'The Inspection' | date=November 21, 2022 }}</ref> and after serving for six years was honorably discharged. He went on to graduate from Columbia University with a degree in African American studies, and received his MFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts for directing and writing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gs.columbia.edu/news-school?article=elegance-bratton%E2%80%99s-amazing-journey-homeless-shelter-ivy-league|title=Elegance Bratton's Amazing Journey From Homeless Shelter to Ivy League|website=gs.columbia.edu|access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tisch.nyu.edu/grad-film/news/on-your-radar--elegance-bratton|title=ON YOUR RADAR: ELEGANCE BRATTON|website=tisch.nyu.edu|access-date=12 March 2019}}</ref>
==Career== Bratton has worked as a director, writer, producer, and photographer since the early 2010s. His photographic compilation ''Bound by Night'' was shortlisted for the Kassel 2014 photo-book award.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Another |title=Elegance Bratton: Bound by Night |url=https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/3511/elegance-bratton-bound-by-night |access-date=12 March 2019 |website=anothermag.com|date=March 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=32 Books selected |url=https://fotobookfestival.org/portfolio-item/kassel-photobook-award-2015/ |access-date=2 May 2019 |website=fotobookfestival.org}}</ref>
In 2016, he directed a short film, ''Walk for Me'', as an assignment in his second year in the filmmaking program at Tisch.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.out.com/entertainment/2017/7/13/elegance-brattons-walk-me-spotlights-trans-motherhood-ballroom|title=Elegance Bratton's Walk For Me Spotlights Trans Motherhood in Ballroom|website=out.com|date=July 13, 2017 |access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref> The film is about trans motherhood in ballroom culture.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Walk for Me |url=https://www.criterionchannel.com/walk-for-me |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=The Criterion Channel |language=en}}</ref> ''Walk for Me'' was released on the Criterion Channel years later.<ref name=":1" />
In 2018, Bratton directed the documentary film, ''Pier Kids'', about three LGBTQ homeless youths in New York City; the film was released in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web |title=This Documentary Shines A Light On NYC's Homeless LBGTQ Youth |url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/06/09/pier-kids-elegance-bratton-interview |access-date=2 May 2019 |website=thefader.com}}</ref> and has been featured in various media outlets, such as the VICE, ABC News, ''The Huffington Post'', ''OUT Magazine'', and GLAAD.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life for Homeless Gay and Trans Teens in New York City |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-the-pier-kids-the-homeless-gay-teens-of-new-york-656/ |access-date=2 May 2019 |website=vice.com|date=June 29, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WATCH: Pier Kids |url=https://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2013/08/30/pier-kids-life-black-lgbtq-youth-use-christopher-street |access-date=2 May 2019 |website=out.com|date=August 30, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch the trailer for Pier Kids: The Life, and help fund the film |url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/watch-trailer-pier-kids-life-and-help-fund-film |access-date=2 May 2019 |website=glaad.org |date=November 4, 2013 |archive-date=May 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501071122/https://www.glaad.org/blog/watch-trailer-pier-kids-life-and-help-fund-film |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2021, Bratton received the Film Independent Truer Than Fiction Spirit Award, which honors emerging directors of non-fiction features.<ref>{{cite web | title=BIOGRAPHY Elegance Bratton Director | url=https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/elegance_bratton_bio_director_9b8fb70b.pdf | access-date=2025-04-25}}</ref>
Bratton's feature film directorial debut, titled ''The Inspection'', was announced in April 2021 with a cast that includes Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union, Bokeem Woodbine, and Raúl Castillo, with Gamechanger Films set to produce, and A24 set to produce and distribute.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=June 7, 2021 |title=Jeremy Pope & Gabrielle Union To Star In A24's 'The Inspection'; Elegance Bratton To Write & Direct Autobiographical Tale |url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/jeremy-pope-gabrielle-union-the-inspection-movie-elegance-bratton-1234770645/ |access-date=April 25, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> Bratton also wrote the screenplay.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=June 16, 2021 |title=Bokeem Woodbine And Raúl Castillo Join Jeremy Pope And Gabrielle Union In A24's 'The Inspection' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/bokeem-woodbine-raul-castillo-jeremy-pope-gabrielle-union-in-a24s-the-inspection-1234776621/ |access-date=April 25, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2022.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=August 4, 2022 |title=Toronto Unveils Discovery & Wavelengths Sections; Midnight Madness Opening Includes Roku's 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' |url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/tiff-2022-discovery-midnight-madness-lineup-weird-al-yankovic-1235084965/ |access-date=August 8, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> It also screened at the 60th New York Film Festival on October 14, 2022,<ref>{{cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Jill |date=August 8, 2022 |title=New York Film Festival Sets Elegance Bratton's 'The Inspection' With Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union As Closing Night Film |url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/new-york-film-festival-sets-elegance-brattons-the-inspection-with-jeremy-pope-as-closing-night-selection-1235086906/ |access-date=August 8, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> the Austin Film Festival on October 29, 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boehmer |first=Aaron |title='The Inspection' shows at Austin Film Festival, centers Black queer man as film's hero |url=https://thedailytexan.com/2022/10/31/the-inspection-shows-at-austin-film-festival-centers-black-queer-man-as-films-hero/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=The Daily Texan}}</ref> before being released theatrically in the United States on November 18, 2022 by A24.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chapman |first=Wilson |date=August 23, 2022 |title=TIFF Premiere 'The Inspection' Receives First Trailer From A24, Sets November Release Date |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/the-inspection-trailer-a24-release-date-1235347581/ |access-date=August 24, 2022 |website=Variety}}</ref>
In 2025, Bratton directed ''Move Ya Body: The Birth of House'' a documentary revolving around Disco Demolition Night and the beginnings of House music, which will have its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/roger-ross-williams-hillary-clinton-disco-demolition-hiddenlight-1235657012/|title=Hillary Clinton's HiddenLight Teams With Roger Ross Williams' One Story Up, Elegance Bratton for Disco Demolition Night Documentary (EXCLUSIVE)|website=Variety|first=Manori|last=Ravindran|date=June 29, 2023|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/12/sundance-film-festival-lineup-2025-movies-1236200107/|title=Sundance 2025: JLo, Sly Stone, Putin, Ayo Edebiri, André Holland, & Ex-NZ PM Jacinda Ardern Films Among Park City Festival Offerings|website=Deadline Hollywood|first1=Anthony|last1=D'Alessandro|first2=Dominic|last2=Patten|date=December 11, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>
==Filmography== '''Short film''' {|class="wikitable" |- !Year !Title !width=65|Director !width=65|Writer !width=65|Producer |- | 2016 | ''Walk for Me'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |- | 2017 | ''Life After'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |- |rowspan=3| 2018 | ''Ina nyo'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |- | ''Fran This Summer'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |- | ''Tadpole'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |- | 2020 | ''Buck'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |- |}
'''Documentary''' {|class="wikitable" |- !Year !Title !width=65|Director !width=65|Writer !width=65|Producer ! Notes |- | 2018 | ''My House'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | TV series |- | 2019 | ''Pier Kids'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |- | 2025 | ''Move Ya Body: The Birth of House'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | |}
'''Feature film''' {|class="wikitable" |- !Year !Title !width=65|Director !width=65|Writer |- | 2022 | ''The Inspection'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |- | 2026 | ''By Any Means'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} |}
== Accolades == In 2022, Bratton was named a United States Artists (USA) Fellow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United States Artists » Elegance Bratton |url=https://www.unitedstatesartists.org/fellow/elegance-bratton/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |language=en-US}}</ref> On October 22, 2022, he received the Breakthrough Director & Writer Award at the Montclair Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Inspection {{!}} Montclair Film |url=https://montclairfilm.org/events/the-inspection/ |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=montclairfilm.org |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kuperinsky |first=Amy |date=2022-09-23 |title=Montclair Film Festival will honor Eddie Redmayne and Elegance Bratton, welcome Brendan Fraser |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/09/montclair-film-festival-will-honor-eddie-redmayne-and-elegance-bratton-welcome-brendan-fraser.html |access-date=2022-09-29 |website=NJ.com |language=en}}</ref> On January 27, 2023, Bratton was the inaugural recipient of the Coolidge Breakthrough Artist Award from Coolidge Corner Theatre.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcing the first ever Coolidge Breakthrough Artist Award |url=https://coolidge.org/about-us/news-media/announcing-first-ever-coolidge-breakthrough-artist-award |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=Coolidge Corner Theater |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|6303173|Elegance Bratton}}
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Screenwriter}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bratton, Elegance}} Category:Living people Category:1979 births Category:21st-century American photographers Category:21st-century United States Marines Category:American documentary filmmakers Category:American LGBTQ film directors Category:American LGBTQ photographers Category:Columbia University School of General Studies alumni Category:Film producers from New Jersey Category:LGBTQ people from New Jersey Category:Photographers from New Jersey Category:People from Jersey City, New Jersey Category:People from Phillipsburg, New Jersey Category:New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumni