http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Michael_OblowitzMichael Oblowitz - Revision history2026-06-02T11:08:58ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.1http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Michael_Oblowitz&diff=7852885&oldid=prev2003:D3:FF3A:ACD:FCD3:4F7F:5E78:7889: /* Career */Music videos for musicians!2025-02-19T18:22:43Z<p><span class="autocomment">Career: </span>Music videos for musicians!</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|South African filmmaker (born 1952)}}<br />
{{BLP sources|date=June 2019}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}<br />
{{Use South African English|date=December 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox artist<br />
| name = Michael Oblowitz<br />
| image = Michael Oblowitz.JPG<br />
| alt = Michael Oblowitz at the Hof International Film Festival in October 2013<br />
| caption = Michael Oblowitz at the [[Hof International Film Festival]] in October 2013<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1952}}<br />
| birth_place = Cape Town, South Africa<br />
| education = University of Cape Town, Columbia University<br />
| known_for = Filmmaking<br />
| notable_works = <br />
| movement = [[No wave]]<br />
| website = {{URL|MichaelOblowitz.com}}.<br />
}}<br />
'''Michael Oblowitz''' is a South African filmmaker.<br />
<br />
==Early life and education==<br />
Oblowitz was born in [[Cape Town]] where he grew up surfing in the 1970s. He is a Fine Arts and Philosophy graduate of the [[University of Cape Town]]. He received an M.F.A. in Film Theory and Production from [[Columbia University]] in 1982 and studied color photography and printing at the Central School of Art London in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beneath the sea of Dark-ness|url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/tracks/20190901/281642486870439|website=[[Tracks (magazine)|Tracks]]|accessdate=May 24, 2021}}</ref> <br />
<br />
==Career==<br />
He began his career in the early 1970s with the films ''X-Terminator'', ''The Is/Land'', ''Minus Zero'' and ''King Blank''. The films are part of the permanent collection of the [[Museum of Modern Art]] in [[New York City]].<ref name="wavescape">{{cite web|title=Heavy Water Premiere this Sunday|url=https://www.wavescape.co.za/surf-news/breaking-news/heavy-water-premiere-this-sunday.html|website=wavescape.co.za|accessdate=May 24, 2021}}</ref> <br />
<br />
He entered the mainstream in 1997 with the [[crime drama film]] ''[[This World, Then the Fireworks]]''.<ref>{{AFI film|id=61533|title=This World, Then the Fireworks}}.</ref> In October 2010, his film ''[[The Traveler (2010 film)|The Traveller]]'', starring Val Kilmer, was released in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3151655/bd-review-the-traveler-for-horror-fans-only/|title=[BD Review] 'The Traveler' a Gem in the Rough|last=Marrone|first=John|work=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|date=2011-01-30|accessdate=2021-05-24}}</ref> It won an award for Best Thriller Feature at the 2011 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.<ref name="wavescape"/><br />
<br />
He released his first surfing documentary, ''Sea Of Darkness'' in 2010. The documentary won the Best Feature award at the [[NYSurfFilmFestival|New York Surf Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|title=WINNERS CIRCLE|url=http://newyorksurffilmfestival.com/category/winnercircle|website=newyorksurffilmfestival.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101205830/http://newyorksurffilmfestival.com/category/winnercircle|accessdate=May 24, 2021|archive-date=1 November 2013}}</ref> His second surfing documentary, ''Heavy Water'', which was released in 2017 starred [[Nathan Fletcher]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Review: 'Heavy Water,' a surf doc aimed at the hardcore fan|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-01-30/heavy-water-review-surfing|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=30 January 2020|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> won Best surfing film at the Byron Bay International Film Festival<ref name="byron bay">{{cite web|title=The Byron Bay International Film Festival 2017 Award Winners|url=https://www.byron-bay.com/blog/byron-bay-international-film-festival-2017-award-winners/|website=byron-bay.com|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> and won Best Wavescape film at the 2018 [[Durban International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|title=All the winners at DIFF 2018|url=https://www.news24.com/channel/Movies/News/all-the-winners-at-diff-2018-20180730-2|website=news24.com|date=24 July 2018 |access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> In 2018, he directed the film ''[[Frank & Ava]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Paine|first=Herbert|title=BWW Review: FRANK & AVA ~ An Affair To Remember|date=3 March 2018|publisher=[[BroadwayWorld]]|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/phoenix/article/BWW-Review-FRANK-AVA-An-Affair-To-Remember-20180303|accessdate=24 May 2021}}</ref> <br />
<br />
He has also produced music videos for [[David Bowie]] and [[Diana Ross]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Inside Big Wave Surfer Nathan Fletcher's New Movie, 'Heavy Water'|url=https://www.menshealth.com.au/nathan-fletcher-surf-movie-heavy-water|website=menshealth.com.au|date=May 2021|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Notable films ==<br />
*''X-Terminator''-1977<br />
*''The Is/Land-Circuits of Control'' (with David Goldberg, 1978)<br />
*''Minus Zero''-1979<br />
*''King Blank'' (1982)<br />
*''[[This World, Then the Fireworks]]'' (1997)<br />
*''Sea of Darkness'' (Documentary, 2010)<br />
*''[[The Traveler (2010 film)|The Traveler]]'' (2010)<br />
*''The Ganzfeld Experiment'' (2013)<br />
*''Heavy Water'' (2017)<br />
*''[[Frank & Ava]]'' (2018)<br />
<br />
== Music videos ==<br />
*"Basketball" by Kurtis Blow (1984)<br />
*"Hippy Land Rap" by [[Tommy Chong]] 1990 <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZbY80Sk27c | title=Tommy Chong unreleased "Hippy Land Rap" variant live action video | website=[[YouTube]] | date=3 December 2019 }}</ref><br />
*"The Healer" by [[John Lee Hooker]] and [[Carlos Santana]] (1993)<br />
*"Mustang Sally" by [[Buddy Guy]] and [[Jeff Beck]] (1994)<br />
*''Booker T and the M.G's Live in Laguna'' (music documentary, 1995)<br />
*''Buddy Guy - Live: The Real Deal'' (music documentary, 1996)<br />
*"Standing Here" by the Stone Roses (1997)<br />
<br />
==Selected filmography==<br />
*1977 ''X-terminator'', (short film)<br />
*1977 ''Table Conversation'', (Short Film)<br />
*1979 ''Minus Zero''<br />
*1979 ''Death Magazine''<br />
*1979 ''Red Love Color''<br />
*1980 ''Too Sensitive to Touch''<br />
*1998 ''The Areola'' (co-directed)<br />
*2001 ''[[The Breed (2001 film)|The Breed]]''<br />
*2003 ''[[Out for a Kill]]''<br />
*2003 ''[[The Foreigner (2003 film)|The Foreigner]]''<br />
*2005 ''[[Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy]]''<br />
*2008 ''Romantic Resorts''<br />
*2016 ''Untitled Sunny Garcia Documentary'' (in production)<br />
*2023 ''[[Confidential Informant (film)|Confidential Informant]]''<br />
<br />
== Awards and recognitions==<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!Year<br />
!Award Ceremony<br />
! Category<br />
!Nominated work<br />
!Result<br />
!{{Abbrv|Ref.|Reference}}<br />
|-<br />
|-<br />
| 2017<br />
| [[Byron Bay International Film Festival]]<br />
| Best Surf Film<br />
| ''Heavy Water''<br />
| {{won}}<br />
|<ref name="byron bay"/><br />
|-<br />
| 2018<br />
| [[Durban International Film Festival]]<br />
| Best Wavescape Film<br />
| ''Heavy Water''<br />
| {{won}}<br />
|<ref>{{cite web|title=39th Durban International Film Festival awards|url=https://www.screenafrica.com/2018/07/30/film/business/39th-durban-international-film-festival-awards/|website=screenafrica.com|date=30 July 2018|access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref><br />
|-<br />
| 2018<br />
| Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival<br />
| Best Independent Film<br />
| ''[[Frank & Ava]]''<br />
| {{won}}<br />
|<ref>{{cite web|title=HRIFF 2018 AWARD WINNERS|url=http://www.hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com/2018/awards.php|website=hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref><br />
|}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* {{IMDb name|0643422}}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Oblowitz, Michael}}<br />
[[Category:South African film directors]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:University of Cape Town alumni]]<br />
[[Category:Columbia University School of the Arts alumni]]<br />
[[Category:South African music video directors]]<br />
[[Category:1952 births]]</div>2003:D3:FF3A:ACD:FCD3:4F7F:5E78:7889