Luke Gilford (born 1986) is a director, writer, and photographer based in New York City and Los Angeles.[1][2] He has directed several short films, including The Future of Flesh, which showcased Prada collection narrated by Jane Fonda, and Connected, starring Pamela Anderson and Dree Hemingway.[3] Gilford has directed music videos for Blood Orange, Troye Sivan, Christina Aguilera, and Kesha and has collaborated with Mercedes Benz and Maison Martin Margiela. Gilford's first monograph, National Anthem: America’s Queer Rodeo, documents America’s queer rodeo and members of the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA).[4][5] In 2023, he made his feature film debut by directing and co-writing National Anthem, which premiered at the 2023 SXSW Festival, inspired by his monograph.[6]
Luke Gilford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986 Denver, Colorado, USA |
| Occupation(s) | Director, writer, photographer |
| Notable work | The Future of Flesh, Connected, National Anthem: America’s Queer Rodeo, National Anthem (film) |
Early life and education
editGilford was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Evergreen, Colorado and the San Francisco Bay Area. His father is a former rodeo champion and judge, and Gilford recollects growing up surrounded by an extensive collection of snakeskin boots, Stetson hats, and giant silver and gold champion belt buckles.[5]
He studied fine art and photography under Barbara Kruger at the University of California, Los Angeles.[7]
Work
editGilford has documented and photographed a breadth of Americana and beauty from the Miss America pageant and the model Hari Nef to queer rodeos and R&B stars. In 2013, Gilford released The Future of Flesh, a short featuring Prada-clad models, a voice-over from Jane Fonda, and an original score by Jake Shears and Steven Stoner to launch Prada's F/W 2013 collection. His second short released in 2015, titled Connected, is a 10-minute film starring Pamela Anderson , features as "a woman grappling with aging, self-perception and transformation in a technologically optimized world."[7]
In 2023, Gilford made his feature film debut by directing and co-writing National Anthem, inspired by his National Anthem America's Queer Rodeo monograph,[6] which premiered at the 2023 SXSW Festival on March 10, 2023,[8] to positive critical reviews.[9]
References
edit- ^ "LENS". www.imglens.com. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
- ^ "Luke Gilford | Artist Profile with Bio". www.mutualart.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
- ^ "Jake Shears & Jane Fonda Collaborate on Short Film: The Future of Flesh". www.out.com. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
- ^ ""An America where we can be whatever we want to be" : Luke Gilford provides space for the queer rodeo community". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
- ^ a b AnOther (2020-09-23). "Tender Portraits of America's Queer Rodeo". AnOther. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
- ^ a b Rooney, David (2023-03-11). "'National Anthem' Review: Charlie Plummer Leads a Tender and Timely Rural Queer Awakening Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
- ^ a b Hawgood, Alex (2016-02-03). "An Image Maker Fixated on California Youth (Published 2016)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
- ^ "National Anthem". SXSW. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ "National Anthem", Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved March 25, 2023