Biography
Born in Mississippi in 1944 and raised in Watts, Los Angeles, Charles Burnett is a central figure of the L.A. Rebellion film movement. He gained acclaim for realistic portrayals of African American life, starting with his UCLA thesis film "Killer of Sheep" (1978) and "My Brother's Wedding" (1983). His films "Killer of Sheep" and "To Sleep with Anger" (1990) are both on the National Film Registry. He received an honorary Oscar in 2017 for his influential career in independent cinema, documentaries, and television. His 1999 film, "The Annihilation of Fish", finally premiered in 2025 to rave reviews.
Source: 76. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)