Adam Cushman (born October 10, 1974) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and author. He directed the films Restraint and The Maestro. His books include the novel "''Cut''" (2014) and "''Critically Acclaimed''" (2018).

Life and career

Cushman grew up in Miami, Florida and attended The University of Miami and Columbia University for graduate studies. In 2017 he wrote and directed the

psychological horror Psychological horror is a genre, subgenre of horror fiction, horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and Mental state, psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre freque ...

film Restraint starring

Dana Ashbrook Dana Vernon Ashbrook (born May 24, 1967) is an American actor, best known for playing Bobby Briggs on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991, 2017) and its 1992 prequel film '' Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me''. Early life Ashbrook was ...

and

Caitlyn Folley Caitlyn Folley, also known as Caker Folley, is an American actress known for her role as Stacy in ''The FP'' (2011). Career Following small roles in ''Speak (2004 film), Speak'', ''Happy Endings (film), Happy Endings'', ''Beautiful Loser (film) ...

. The film was released in November 2018 by Breaking Glass Pictures. His second feature film was the historical period drama The Maestro, starring

Xander Berkeley Alexander Harper Berkeley (born December 16, 1955) is an American actor. Since beginning his career in the early 1980s, he has appeared in over 200 film and television projects. His films include ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991), ''Candyman ...

as real-life composer

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (3 April 1895 – 16 March 1968) was an Italian composer, pianist and writer. He was known as one of the foremost guitar composers in the twentieth century with almost one hundred compositions for that instrument. In ...

. Restraint premiered at the

Rhode Island International Film Festival Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) takes place every year in Providence and Newport, Rhode Island as well as satellite locations throughout the state. Started in 1997, the Festival is produced by Flickers, the Newpor ...

in 2018, where it won the festival's top prize, the "''Best Narrative Feature''" award. It also played the 2017

Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival The Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival (DTLAFF) is an annual film festival based in Downtown Los Angeles. History The festival was founded in 2008 and the venue used is the Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live. The Grammy Museum helped sponsor the fes ...

and 2018 Queens World Festival where Cushman was both times awarded "''Best Director''". The Maestro premiered at the 2017

Heartland Film Festival The Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF) is a high academy qualifying film festival held each October in Indianapolis, Indiana, hosted by the nonprofit organization Heartland Film, Inc. The festival was first held in 1992, with the goal to ...

and won awards at other festivals for both the film and lead actor

. In a complimentary review of The Maestro, Nick Schager of

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

wrote, "Cushman crafts his material with sunlight-dappled aesthetic elegance. And even when he indulges in spinning, arm-twirling pontificating, Berkeley brings a calm soulfulness to Castelnuovo-Tedesco." Cushman is also the founder of Film 14, which produces book trailers for publishers such as Penguin Teen, Harper Collins, and MacMillan as well as individual authors.

Filmography

Feature films * '' Restraint'' (2017) – director, writer, producer * '' The Maestro'' (2018) – director, editor, producer Short films * ''Five Families'' (2019) - director, writer, producer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cushman, Adam Film directors from Florida 1974 births Living people People from Miami University of Miami alumni Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival award winners