
Person
Abel Ferrara
Directing · Born 1951-07-19 · The Bronx, New York, USA
Biography
Abel Ferrara (Italian: [ferˈraːra]; born July 19, 1951) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for the provocative and often controversial content in his movies and his use and redefinition of neo-noir imagery. A long-time independent filmmaker, some of his best known movies include the New York-set, gritty crime thrillers The Driller Killer (1979), Ms .45 (1981), King of New York (1990), Bad Lieutenant (1992), and The Funeral (1996), chronicling violent crime in urban settings with spiritual overtones. Ferrara also worked in a wide array of genres, including the sci-fi remake Body Snatchers (1993), cyberpunk thriller New Rose Hotel (1998), the religious drama Mary (2005), the black comedy Go Go Tales (2007), and the biopic Pasolini (2014), as well as in several documentary filmmaking projects.
Known for

Miami Vice
Director

Marty Supreme
Ezra Mishkin

Crime Story
Director

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Self

King of New York
Director

Plankton Salesmen
Self (archive footage)

Body Snatchers
Director

Black Butterfly
Pat

Ms .45
1st Rapist

Bad Lieutenant
Director
Filmography
- 2025Marty SupremeEzra Mishkin
- 2025Judas' GospelHerodes
- 2024The Passion According to BéatriceSelf
- 2024Turn in the WoundDirector
- 2023The Sweet EastThanks
- 2023Padre PioDirector
- 2022Soldato sotto la lunaAnicio
- 2022Please Leave a Message: Anthology Film Archives Voicemails Through the Ages
- 2022Buon Lavoro
- 2021Zeros and OnesDirector
- 2021The Night BurnsAbel
- 2021Bleedings
- 2020Sportin' LifeSelf
- 2020SiberiaScreenplay
- 2020TommasoDirector
- 2019The App
- 2019The ProjectionistHimself
- 2018Alive in FranceSelf
- 2018Talking with the Vampires
- 2018A Talent For TroubleSelf
- 2018WiaraSelf
- 2017Plankton SalesmenSelf (archive footage)
- 2017Piazza VittorioHimself
- 2017Black ButterflyPat
- 2017Water and Sugar – Carlo Di Palma: The Colours of LifeSelf
- 2017Ultima Chiamata
- 2016Sculpt
- 2015Searching for Padre PioDirector
- 2014PasoliniDirector
- 2014Welcome to New YorkDirector
- 2014Don PeyoteTaxi Cab Driver
- 2013Anthony Bourdain: Parts UnknownSelf
- 2013Balkan SpiritSelf - Director
- 2012Home Sweet Home
- 20124:44 Last Day on EarthDirector
- 2012Abel Ferrara in Lucca
- 2011Happy LifeExecutive Producer
- 201042 One Dream RushDirector
- 2010Mulberry St.Self
- 2010Uncle BobSelf
- 2010Daddy LonglegsRobber
- 2010Napoli, Napoli, NapoliDirector
- 2009BandagedProducer
- 2008Go Go TalesDirector
- 2008Chelsea on the RocksSelf
- 2007Cannes: All AccessSelf
- 2006ExesCaïn
- 2006Mylène Farmer : Music Videos IVDirector
- 2005MaryDirector
- 2005Odyssey in Rome
- 2004Nice to Meet You, Please Don't Love Me!Himself
- 2003Abel Ferrara: Not GuiltySelf
- 2002White BoyProducer
- 2001'R XmasDirector
- 2001Mylene Farmer: Music Videos II & IIIDirector
- 1999New Rose HotelDirector
- 1998Abel/AsiaSelf
- 1997Subway StoriesDirector
- 1997The BlackoutDirector
- 1996Mylène Farmer: CaliforniaDirector
- 1996The FuneralDirector
- 1995The AddictionDirector
- 1995At SundanceSelf
- 1993Dangerous GameDirector
- 1993Body SnatchersDirector
- 1992Bad LieutenantDirector
- 1990King of New YorkDirector
- 1989Cat ChaserDirector
- 1987China GirlDirector
- 1986Crime StoryDirector
- 1986Crime Story: PilotDirector
- 1986The GladiatorDirector
- 1984Miami ViceDirector
- 1984Fear CityDirector
- 1981Ms .451st Rapist
- 1979The Driller KillerReno Miller
- 19769 Lives of a Wet PussyOld Man
- 1973Could This Be LoveDirector
- 1972The Hold UpDirector
- 1971Nicky's FilmMan in junkyard
- —Siegfriedsdorf
- —Embryo: Beyond the Door
- —The Night Burns
- —American NailsDirector
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