James Allan Schamus (born September 7, 1959) is an American screenwriter, producer, business executive, film historian, professor, and director. He is a frequent collaborator of Ang Lee, the co-founder of the production company Good Machine, and the former CEO of motion picture production, financing, and worldwide distribution company Focus Features, a subsidiary of
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation owned by Comcast and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.
NBCUniversal is primar ...
.
Life and career
Schamus was born in Detroit, Michigan, to a
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
family. He is the son of Clarita (Gershowitz) Karlin and Julian John Schamus, and was raised in Los Angeles. He is married to writer
Nancy Kricorian
Nancy Jean Kricorian (born September 19, 1960) is an American author of the novels ''Zabelle'' (1997) and ''Dreams of Bread and Fire'' (2003). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published her third novel ''All the Light There Was'' in March 2013.
Persona ...
, with whom he has two children.
His output includes writing or co-writing ''
The Ice Storm
''The Ice Storm'' is a 1994 American novel by Rick Moody. The novel was widely acclaimed by readers and critics alike, described as a funny, acerbic, and moving hymn to a dazed and confused era of American life.Eat, Drink, Man, Woman'', ''
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' is a 2000 wuxia film directed by Ang Lee and written for the screen by Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus, and Tsai Kuo-jung . The film features a cast of actors of Chinese ethnicity, including Chow Yun-fat, ...
'' and ''
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
Brokeback Mountain
''Brokeback Mountain'' is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written ...
Milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulat ...
'', ''
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' (also simply known as ''Eternal Sunshine'') is a 2004 American romantic science fiction drama film written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry, and starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. Pi ...
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
's School of the Arts, where he teaches film history and theory. He has also taught at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...
and at
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
. He is the author of ''Carl Theodor Dreyer's Gertrud: The Moving Word'', published by the University of Washington Press. He earned his BA, MA, and Ph.D. in English from
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...
.
Schamus made his feature directorial debut with ''
Indignation
IndigNation was Singapore's annual, month-long lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer pride season, first held in August 2005 to coincide with the republic's 40th National Day.
Background
IndigNation begun as a series of LGBT-themed events meant to f ...
'', an adaptation of
Philip Roth
Philip Milton Roth (March 19, 1933 – May 22, 2018) was an American novelist and short story writer.
Roth's fiction—often set in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey—is known for its intensely autobiographical character, for philosophicall ...
's novel of the same name. Schamus also wrote the script for the film, which stars Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, and Tracy Letts, and is the story of a Jewish student at an Ohio college in 1951. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and was theatrically released by
Roadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions is an American production company and film distributor based in Los Angeles, California, founded on July 27, 2000, by Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff, specializing largely in independent films
An independent film, in ...
on July 29, 2016.
Schamus participates as a member of the Jury for the NYICFF, a local New York City Film Festival dedicated to screening films for children between the ages of 3 and 18. He was president of the jury for the
64th Berlin International Film Festival
The 64th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 6 to 16 February 2014. Wes Anderson's film '' The Grand Budapest Hotel'' opened the festival. British film director Ken Loach was presented with the Honorary Golden Bear. The ...
.
Schamus founded Symbolic Exchange, a film development company based in New York City. In May 2015, it was announced that Symbolic Exchange signed a first-look deal with Beijing's Meridian Entertainment.
Film credits
Executive producer only
* ''
Poison
Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...
'' (1991)
* ''
Swoon
Swoon may refer to:
* Swoon hypothesis, a number of theories about the resurrection of Jesus Christ
* ''Swoon'' (film), a film on the 1924 Leopold and Loeb murder case
*Swoon (artist)
Caledonia Curry (born 1977), whose work appears under the na ...
Happiness
Happiness, in the context of mental or emotional states, is positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Other forms include life satisfaction, well-being, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia.
...
Buffalo Soldiers
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in ...
Suffragette
A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to member ...
Hamptons Film Festival
The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) is an international film festival founded in 1992, by Joyce Robinson. The festival has since taken place every year in East Hampton, New York. It is usually an annual five-day event in mid-October ...
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
Independent Icon Award, Sundance, January 2010
*
National Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and members club on Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York City. It was founded in 1898 by Charles DeKay, an art and literary critic of the ''New York Times'' to "stimulate, foster, and promote publ ...
, Medal of Honor for Film, November 2009.
* 9th Annual
Woodstock Film Festival
The Woodstock Film Festival is an American film festival that was launched in 2000 by filmmakers Meira Blaustein and Laurent Rejto with the goal to bring high quality independent film to the Hudson Valley region. The festival takes place each f ...
, Trailblazer Award, October 2008
* 19th Annual GLAAD (Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination) Media Awards, Golden Gate Award, May 2008
* American Museum of the Moving Image Honoree, April 2008
* ShoWest/NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) Freedom of Expression Award, March 2008
* Golden Horse Award, Best Film, Best Screenplay Adaptation (James Schamus and Wang Hui-ling), "Lust, Caution," 2007
* Jacob Burns Film Center, Vision Award, September 2007
* British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Film, "Brokeback Mountain," 2005
* 21st Israel Film Festival, Visionary Award, November 2005
* Presidential Fellow in the Arts,
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States specializing in civil rights law. It was founded in late Septe ...
Nantucket Film Festival
The Nantucket Film Festival is a film festival founded in 1996 which focuses on screenwriting. Board members include Donick Cary, Nancy Dubac, Chris Matthews, Kathleen Matthews, Ben Stiller, and Tom Scott.
History
The Nantucket Film Festival w ...
, 2002
* Grammy Award Nomination, Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television, Or Other Media, "A Love Before Time" from ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'', 2002
*
Hugo Award
The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier ...
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...
, 2000
* Achievement Award,
Jerusalem Cinematheque
The Jerusalem Cinematheque is a cinematheque and film archive in Jerusalem. History
The Jerusalem Cinematheque was founded in 1973 by Lia van Leer. It was originally located in Beit Agron in the center of Jerusalem. A new building overlooking the ...
, 2000
* British Film Critics' Circle Awards Nomination, Best Screenwriter, "The Ice Storm," 1999.
* Gladys Borchers Lecturer,
University of Wisconsin
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
, 1998.
* Nuveen Fellow,
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
, 1997
* University Lecturer,
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, 1997
* Cable Ace Award, Best Historical Documentary Special or Series, "
Wonderland
Wonderland may refer to:
Places
Municipalities
* Wonderland, California, a ghost town in Plumas County
* Wonderland, Ohio, a ghost town in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Roads, streets, and trails
* Wonderland Avenue, a roadway in Laurel Canyon, Los A ...
," (Executive Producer), 1997
* IFP Gotham Award, Producer of the Year, 1996
* Zanuck Award Nominee, Producers Guild of America, 1996
* Nova Award, Producers Guild of America, 1996
* The Philip and Ruth Hettleman Award, Columbia University School of General Studies, 1996
*
Independent Spirit
The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass ...
Brian Greenbaum Memorial Award for Producing, 1994
Writing
Books
* ''Taking Woodstock''. New York: Newmarket Press, 2009. Screenplay and Introduction.
* ''Carl Theodor Dryer's Gertrud: The Moving Word''. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2008.
* ''Lust, Caution''. New York: Pantheon, 2007. Screenplay (with Wang Hui-Ling) and Introduction.
* ''The Hulk''. New York: Newmarket Press, 2003. Screenplay and Introduction.
* ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Portrait of the Ang Lee Film''. New York: Newmarket Press, 2000. Screenplay (with Wang Hui-Ling) and Notes.
* ''Ride With the Devil''. London: Faber & Faber, 1999. Screenplay, Introduction, and Notes.
* ''The Ice Storm''. New York: Newmarket Press, 1997. Screenplay, Introduction, and Notes.
* ''Two Films By Ang Lee: "Eat Drink Man Woman" and "The Wedding Banquet"''. New York: The Overlook Press, 1994. Introduction and Screenplays (with Ang Lee, Neal Peng, and Wang Hui-Ling).
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
Variety (magazine)
''Variety'' is an American media company owned by Penske Media Corporation. The company was founded by Sime Silverman in New York City in 1905 as a weekly newspaper reporting on theater and vaudeville. In 1933 it added ''Daily Variety'', bas ...
'', January 8, 2014.
* "Preface." "Musts, Maybes, and Nevers: A Book About The Movies". By
David Picker
David Victor Picker (May 14, 1931 – April 20, 2019) was an American motion picture executive and producer, working in the film industry for more than forty years. He served as president and chief executive officer for United Artists, Paramount, ...
. Charleston: CreateSpace, 2013.
* "See Here Now: Festival Red Carpets and the Cost of Film Culture," in ''Coming Soon to a Festival Near You: Programming Film Festivals'', ed. Jeffrey Ruoff. Scotland, UK: St. Andrews Film Books, 2012.
"Raul Ruiz Remembered by James Schamus" '' Filmmaker (magazine)'', August 19, 2011.
* "Afterword." ''A Killer Life''. By Christine Vachon. New York: Limelight Editions, 2007.
"The Apartment" ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', November 4, 2007.
* "Next Year in Munich: Masculinity, Zionism and Diaspora in Spielberg's Epic," ''Representations'', Fall 2007, no. 100.
"'Brokeback Mountain': An Exchange" ''
The New York Review of Books
''The New York Review of Books'' (or ''NYREV'' or ''NYRB'') is a semi-monthly magazine with articles on literature, culture, economics, science and current affairs. Published in New York City, it is inspired by the idea that the discussion of i ...
'', April 6, 2006.
"Oy" ''Filmmaker'', March 24, 2006.
''Cinema Journal'', Summer 2004, Volume 43, Number 4.
* "Dreyer's Textual Realism." ''Rites of Realism: Essays on Corporeal Cinema'', Ivone Margulies, ed., Duke UP, 2003.
"Sing to Us, Muse, of the Rage of the Hulk" ''The New York Times'', May 11, 2003.
* "Whatever Happened to B Movies?", '' Filmmaker (magazine)'', Fall, 2002 (reprinted from The Off Hollywood Report, Fall 1990).
* "A Rant." ''The End of Cinema As We Know It: American Film in the Nineties'', Jon Lewis, ed., NYU Press, 2002.
* "Fragments Towards an Introduction to Elia Sulieman's Chronicles." ''Filmmaker'', Winter 2002.
* "16 Fragments on Auteur Theory, or Sarris's Revenge." ''Citizen Sarris: American Film Critic'', Emanuel Levy, ed., Scarecrow Press, 2001.
"Talking Pictures" ''Filmmaker'', Winter, 2001.
''The New York Times'', November 5, 2000.
"IFP Rant" ''Filmmaker'', Spring, 2000.
''The Nation'', April 5–12, 1999.
* "20 Fragments on the Art of Screenwriting." ''Scenario'', Summer 1996.
"Long Live Indie Film" ''Filmmaker'', Fall, 1995.
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...