{{short description|Russian-American writer and filmmaker}} {{Infobox person | name = Wes Hurley | image = Wes Hurley at SIFF 2025.jpg | caption = Hurley in 2025 | birth_name = Vasili Naumenko | birth_date = | birth_place = Vladivostok, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | occupation = Film director, film producer | years_active = 2005-present }}
'''Wes Hurley''' is a Russian-American writer and filmmaker. He has collaborated with many theater, drag, and cabaret performers in Seattle and raised awareness of human rights violations in Russia.
==Early life and education== Born and raised in Vladivostok, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (present-day Vladivostok, Russia), Hurley moved to Seattle in the 1990s at the age of 16 with his mother after she married an American.<ref name=BBC>Natasha Lipman, [https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-51566445 "'I hated my homophobic stepdad, then he came out'"], BBC News, February 21, 2020.</ref>
==Career== Hurley's films, many with gay themes, include ''Waxie Moon'', ''Waxie Moon in Fallen Jewel'',<ref>Jason Miller, [http://central-cinema.com/everybodys-talking-about-waxie-moon-in-fallen-jewel "Everybody’s talking about Waxie Moon In Fallen Jewel!"], Central Cinema, April 18, 2013, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131215235553/http://central-cinema.com/everybodys-talking-about-waxie-moon-in-fallen-jewel/ archived] on December 15, 2013.</ref> ''Zolushka'',<ref>[https://cstpdx.com/show/cinekink-best-2015 "CineKink: Best of 2015"]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, The Clinton Street Theater (Portland, Oregon), retrieved February 24, 2010.</ref> ''Rusalka'',<ref name=Advocate>Matt Baume, [https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/people/2015/01/02/people-watch-2015?pg=2#article-content "People to Watch in 2015"], ''The Advocate'', January 2, 2015.</ref> and the web and later TV series ''Capitol Hill'', which premiered in 2014.<ref name=Advocate/><ref>Leah Baltus, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150331022651/http://cityartsonline.com/articles/seattle-soap "Seattle Soap"]}}, ''City Arts'', March 24, 2015.</ref><ref name=Crosscut>Brangien Davies, [https://crosscut.com/2019/01/after-growing-gay-russia-seattle-filmmaker-wins-big "After growing up gay in Russia, a Seattle filmmaker wins big"], ''Crosscut'', January 18, 2019.</ref> He has also collaborated with theater, cabaret, and drag performers including Waxie Moon, Sarah Rudinoff, Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCreme, and Jackie Hell, and raised awareness of human rights violations in Russia.<ref name="Huff">Wes Hurley, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wes-hurley/growing-up-gay-in-russia_b_3735143.html "Growing Up Gay in Russia"], ''Huffington Post'', February 2, 2016.</ref>
His film ''Little Potato'' had its online premiere on ''Topic'' and was later picked up by ''The Atlantic'' and Criterion Channel.<ref name="Crosscut" /> The short is also a Vimeo Staff pick, was short-listed by ''The Wrap'' and nominated for Best Short by Cinema Eye Honors. The companion VR piece ''Potato Dreams premiered at American Film Institute Film Festival and International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.''{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
In 2021, Hurley completed ''Potato Dreams of America'' - a dark autobiographical comedy starring Dan Lauria, Lea DeLaria, Jonathan Bennett, Sera Barbieri, Tyler Bocock, Marya Sea Kaminsky, Hersh Powers, Lady Rizo, Sophia Mitry Schloss and Lauren Tewes. The film premiered in Narrative Competition at SXSW on March 16, 2021 and subsequently had its European premiere at Deauville American Film Festival where it was nominated for Grand Prize along with Sean Baker's ''Red Rocket'' and ''Pig''. The film won several audience and jury awards at festivals around the world including Outstanding Screenplay at Outfest for Hurley and Best Supporting Performance for Lea DeLaria at Tallgrass Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3513522/awards/?ref_=tt_awd |title=Potato Dreams of America (2021) |access-date=2025-02-17|website=Internet Movie Database}}</ref> Cult filmmaker John Waters praised the film's performances and comedic timing after attending its screening at Provincetown International Film Festival. Following its limited theatrical run, the film was positively received by critics and audiences, certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes with 91% approval from critics and 85% approval by audiences on the site.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/potato_dreams_of_america |title=Potato Dreams of America |access-date=2025-02-17|website=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> ''Salon'' named Potato Dreams of America one of "9 of the Best Movies About American Immigrants" along with Everything Everywhere All At Once, ''Brooklyn'' and ''Scarface''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Film Review: Potato Dreams of America | date=4 July 2023 |url=https://www.salon.com/2023/07/04/best-july-4-american-immigration-movies/#:~:text=Potato%20Dreams%20of%20America%20(Dark,well%20as%20a%20VR%20project.)/ |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref> The Bay Area Reporter wrote: "Hurley harvests his storytelling skills, resulting in a bumper crop of emotions, with laughter and tears in equal measure."<ref>{{cite web |title=Film Review: Potato Dreams of America |url=https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=Arts%20&%20Culture&sc=Movies&id=318973/ |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref> While ''Variety'' stated that: "The very existence of ''Potato Dreams of America'' is its own happy ending: It’s a calling card, at least, that prompts curiosity over what stories, or whose stories, Hurley will tell next."<ref>{{cite web |title=Film Review: Potato Dreams of America |date=17 March 2021 |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/potato-dreams-of-america-review-1234931968/ |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref> Hurley has been a regular contributor to ''Huffington Post''.<ref>[https://www.huffpost.com/author/wesnau-253 Wes Hurley]{{Primary source inline|date=January 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== Hurley realized he was gay before leaving Russia;<ref name=Huff/> he came out to his mother when he was 16. His autobiographical short film ''Little Potato'', co-directed by Nathan Miller, tells the story of their migration, his adolescence, and his mother's relationship with her spouse, who ultimately came out as transgender.<ref name=BBC/>
==Honors== In 2013 Hurley was chosen as one of the Artists of the Year by ''City Arts'' magazine, along with Megan Griffiths, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Jinkx Monsoon.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131203214404/http://www.cityartsonline.com/articles/shine-2013-artists-year "Shine On: 2013 Artists of the Year"]}}, ''City Arts'', November 25, 2013.</ref> He was chosen as a Person to Watch in 2015 by ''The Advocate''.<ref name=Advocate/> In 2019 he won a Creative Capital grant.<ref name=Crosscut/> ''Little Potato'' won over two dozen awards from around the world including Jury Awards at South by Southwest, Oslo Fusion, Sarasota Film Festival, Annapolis Film Festival, USA Film Festival and Audience Awards at Outfest, Ashland Independent Film Festival and Mardi Gras Film Festival. For ''Potato Dreams of America'', Hurley was nominated for Grand Jury Award at SXSW and Special Grand Prize at Deauville Film Festival and won Outstanding Screenplay from Outfest and Audience Award at Seattle Queer Film Festival. Hurley also helped produce ''Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story'' for director, Aaron Bear. Narrated by Zachary Quinto and featuring Bill Gates, film won Special Recognition at GLAAD Media Awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7315826/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_yes%2520I%2520am|access-date=2025-02-17|website=Internet Movie Database |title=Yes I Am - the Ric Weiland Story }}</ref> In 2024, Hurley was awarded Seattle International Film Festival Courageous Documentary Filmmaking Grant for his new film on Shelly's Leg.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3513522/awards/ |title=Potato Dreams of America (2021) - Awards |access-date=2025-02-17|website=Internet Movie Database}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.siff.net/press-releases/pr-doc-grant |title=SIFF announces winning projects of 2024 Courageous Documentary Filmmaking Grants |access-date=2025-02-17|website=Seattle International Film Festival}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1943775}} {{FilmOut Programming Award}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hurley, Wes}} Category:Living people Category:Film directors from Washington (state) Category:American television producers Category:American gay entertainers Category:American gay writers Category:Gay screenwriters Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Soviet emigrants to the United States Category:Russian LGBTQ screenwriters Category:LGBTQ people from Washington (state) Category:Filmmakers from Seattle Category:American LGBTQ film directors Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:21st-century Russian LGBTQ people Category:Film producers from Washington (state)