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William Cohen (born 1978), better known by the stage name Billy Corben, is an American documentary film director. Along with producing partner Alfred Spellman, he is co-founder of the
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
-based studio Rakontur, which has created films such as '' Cocaine Cowboys'', '' Dawg Fight'', ''
The U "The U" is a nickname often given to a university. Specifically, it has been used to refer to: * The University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida **Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's athletic program and teams * ''The U'' (film), a 2009 do ...
'', and ''The U Part 2''.


Early life and education

Corben was born in
Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 86,395; it was estimated to have grown to 95,949 in 2022, making it the List o ...
to a
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
family, and was raised in
South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...
. As a child actor, he spent a large portion of his early days in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. He attended
New World School of the Arts The New World School of the Arts (NWSA) is a public magnet high school and college in Downtown Miami, Florida. Its dual-enrollment programs in the visual and performing arts are organized into four strands: visual arts, dance, theatre (comprising ...
for high school, and then the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
, where he majored in political science, screenwriting, and theater and graduated with honors.


Career

Corben's feature documentary directorial debut, ''Raw Deal: A Question of Consent'', premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...
in 2001, making him one of the youngest directors in Sundance history. Examining the alleged rape of an exotic dancer at a fraternity house at the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
, the film utilized extensive clips from videotape footage of the alleged assault. Anthony Miele of ''
Film Threat ''Film Threat'' is an American online film review publication, and earlier, a national magazine that focused primarily on independent film, although it also reviewed videos and DVDs of mainstream films, as well as Hollywood movies in theaters. ...
'' said of ''Raw Deal'', "Billy Corben has stumbled onto one of the most controversial films of the modern day," calling it "one of the most compelling pieces of non-fiction ever produced." The film was acquired by Artisan Entertainment for $100,000 with plans for an August 2001 release, though its release was postponed over various issues. Ultimately the filmmakers reacquired the rights and released the film themselves on DVD. Following ''Raw Deal'', Corben and producing partner Alfred Spellman founded Rakontur, a
Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean an ...
-based content creation company, where they created '' Cocaine Cowboys''. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' called ''Cocaine Cowboys'' "a hyperventilating account of the blood-drenched Miami drug culture in the 1970s and 1980s.” The film tells the story of how the drug trade built Miami through firsthand accounts of some of the most successful smugglers of the era and the deadliest hitman of the
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
wars. After a limited theatrical release in 2006, '' Cocaine Cowboys'' became the highest-rated documentary ever on the Showtime cable network. The sequel, '' Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustling with the Godmother'', was released in 2008. ''
The U "The U" is a nickname often given to a university. Specifically, it has been used to refer to: * The University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida **Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's athletic program and teams * ''The U'' (film), a 2009 do ...
'', a feature documentary about the championship history of the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
football program, produced by rakontur for
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
's ''
30 for 30 ''30 for 30'' is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This includes four "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series und ...
'' series, became the highest-rated documentary in the network's 30-year history, when it debuted on December 12, 2009 following the
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
presentation. In March 2011, he directed '' Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja'', a documentary examining the free-wheeling pot smuggling era of
South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...
in the 1970s, which premiered at the
South By Southwest Film Festival South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has continued growing in both s ...
. In April 2011, he directed ''
Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...
'' about the rise and fall of
Peter Gatien Peter Gatien (born August 8, 1952) is a Canadian club owner and party promoter. He is best known as the former owner of several prominent New York City nightclubs, including Club USA, The Limelight, Palladium, and Tunnel. Life and career Gatien w ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
's biggest nightclub owner, which premiered at
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
in September 2011. In 2012, Corben produced '' Dawg Fight'', a brutal exposé on underground backyard
MMA Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
fighting in one of Miami's toughest neighborhoods. '' Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami'', about the sensational Miami-based federal trials of Sal Magluta and Willy Falcon, the most successful Cuban drug traffickers in history and ''Broke'', a feature documentary project for
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
examining the explosion of big money in sports and the epidemic of professional athletes who have gone broke. In 2019, he co-wrote ''Confessions of a Cocaine Cowboy'' alongside journalist and television writer Aurin Squire. ''Confessions of a Cocaine Cowboy'' was a world-premiere documentary theatre piece commissioned by
Miami New Drama Miami New Drama is a nonprofit professional theater company located in Miami Beach, Florida, founded in 2014. Since October 2016 it has been the resident theater company and operator of the historic Colony Theatre on Miami Beach. Since its first p ...
at the
Colony Theatre The Colony Theatre is a performing arts venue located on Lincoln Road in Miami, Florida. The theatre first opened as a Paramount Pictures movie house in 1935 with a capacity to sit 1,200 people. From the 1950s - 1990s, it functioned back and forth ...
based on Corben's ''Cocaine Cowboys'' documentaries. The play used text from depositions, newspaper articles, and other found documents from the time. It ran at the
Colony Theatre The Colony Theatre is a performing arts venue located on Lincoln Road in Miami, Florida. The theatre first opened as a Paramount Pictures movie house in 1935 with a capacity to sit 1,200 people. From the 1950s - 1990s, it functioned back and forth ...
from March 7 to April 7, 2019.


Other

Corben oversees the soundtracks for all of Rakontur's productions, assembling the artists for each project and working hands-on throughout the music production process. For '' Cocaine Cowboys'', Grammy-winner
Jan Hammer Jan Hammer () (born 17 April 1948) is a Czech-American musician, composer, and record producer. He rose to prominence while playing keyboards with the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the early 1970s, as well as with his film scores for television an ...
from ''
Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs, Ricardo "Rico" Tub ...
'' composed and performed the original score. Hip-hop artist
Luther Campbell Luther Roderick Campbell (born December 22, 1960), also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke and simply Luke, is an American rapper, promoter, record executive, actor, and former leader of the rap group 2 Live Crew. He is known for having hel ...
performed the opening titles song for ''
The U "The U" is a nickname often given to a university. Specifically, it has been used to refer to: * The University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida **Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's athletic program and teams * ''The U'' (film), a 2009 do ...
'', Miami music fixture DJ Le Spam wrote his first ever film score for ''Square Grouper''. On ''
Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...
'', Corben consulted with Grammy-winning electronic music pioneer
Moby Richard Melville Hall (September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "amo ...
and the documentary's original score was written by Fast of the
Fun Lovin' Criminals Fun Lovin' Criminals are an American rap rock band from New York City. They are best known for their hit "Scooby Snacks (song), Scooby Snacks", which features samples from films by Quentin Tarantino, and the song "Love Unlimited", which referenc ...
. In addition, Corben has contributed his own original songs to the soundtracks of ''Raw Deal: A Question of Consent'', ''The U'' and ''Square Grouper''. Corben also serves as film critic on '' The Paul and Young Ron Show'', a South Florida radio morning show, doing live segments every Friday. Corben and Rakontur are regular supporters of Miami-based Hope For Vision, a not-for-profit organization that donates money to fund scientific research to develop cures for blindness; the Borscht Film Festival, a group that supports and showcases Miami's independent filmmakers; and The 200 Club, an organization that gives financial support to the families of law enforcement officers and fire fighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.


Personal life

Corben resides in
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
.


Filmography


Director

*''Raw Deal: A Question of Consent'' (2001) *'' Cocaine Cowboys'' (2006) *'' Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin With The Godmother (2008)'' *''Clubland'' (2008) *''
The U "The U" is a nickname often given to a university. Specifically, it has been used to refer to: * The University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida **Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's athletic program and teams * ''The U'' (film), a 2009 do ...
'' (2009) *'' Square Grouper'' (2011) *''
Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...
'' *''Broke'' (2012) *''Collision Course'' (2013) *''The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop'' (2014) *''Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded'' (2014) *''The U Part 2'' (2014) *'' Dawg Fight'' (2015) *''Miami Beach 100'' (2015) *''Magic City Hustle'' (2019) *''Screwball'' (2019) *'' 537 Votes'' (2020) *'' Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami'' (2021) *''God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty'' (2022) *'' From Russia With Lev'' (2024) *''Men of War'' (with Jen Gatien) (2024)


Actor

*'' Dear John'' (TV series) (19881992) *'' Parenthood'' (1989) *''
The Fanelli Boys ''The Fanelli Boys'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 8, 1990, to February 16, 1991, as part of its 1990–91 prime time schedule. The series was created by the team of Barry Fanaro, Mort Nathan, Kathy Spe ...
'' (1990) *'' Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again'' (TV film) (1990) *''
Empty Nest ''Empty Nest'' is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from October 8, 1988, to June 17, 1995. The series, which was created as a spin-off of ''The Golden Girls'' by creator and producer Susan Harris, starred Richa ...
'' (1990) *''
Night Court ''Night Court'' is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 4, 1984, and ended on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons consisting of List of Night Court episodes, 193 episodes. The show is set in the night shift of a Manhattan ...
'' (1991) *''Shanghai 1920'' (1991) *''
L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher for NBC. It ran for eight seasons and List of L.A. Law episodes, 172 episodes from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. The series cente ...
'' (TV series) (1992) *'' Stepmonster'' (direct-to-video film) (1993)


Self

*''Raw Deal: A Question of Consent'' (documentary) (2001) *''The Scarface Phenomenon'' (video documentary) (2011) *''Rome Is Burning'' (TV series) (2011)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Corben, Billy 1978 births Living people American documentary film directors American male child actors Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from Miami University of Miami alumni 20th-century American male actors