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Albert Maysles Biography

Birth Name:Albert Maysles

Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Profession Cinematographer, Director, Producer, Camera department

Fast Facts

Was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in July 2014
Won the president's award from the American Society of Cinematographers in 1998
Studied psychology at Syracuse University and earned his master's from Boston University
Worked as a psychology teacher at Boston University for three years before making his first film, "Psychiatry in Russia," in 1955
Suffered from a learning disability in his youth that he said caused him to develop the listening skills that made him a good documentary filmmaker
Quote: "Making a film isn't finding the answer to a question; it's trying to capture life as it is․"
Best known as a documentary filmmaker who, with his brother David, made "Gimme Shelter" and "Grey Gardens․"
In addition to his work with his brother, he also co-directed documentaries with people like Susan Froemke, with whom he worked on "Soldiers of Music" and "Abortion: Desperate Choices․"
Grey Gardens was so successful that it went on to inspire a Broadway play and a film on HBO by the same name
Although "Gimme Shelter" was largely admired for its portrayal of the Rolling Stones' 1969 American tour, many viewers were concerned that the film was exploiting violence because it included a scene of a fan being stabbed to death at a concert

Awards

1974Oscar-Best Documentary, Short Subjects: nominated
1976Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1987Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance Programming - Directing: winner
1987Grand Jury Prize-Documentary: nominated
1991IDA Award-: winner
1991Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual - Informational Programming: winner
1991Cinematography Award-Documentary: winner
1991Grand Jury Prize-Documentary: nominated
1992DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary/Actuality: nominated
2001Cinematography Award-Documentary: winner
2002Independent Spirit Award-Best Documentary: nominated
2010IDA Award-Continuing Series: winner
2011Cinema Eye Legacy Award-: winner
2013Short Film Grand Jury Prize-: nominated
2014Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2014Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2014Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2014Audience Award-Best Documentary Feature: winner
2015Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2015Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2015Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2015Jury Award-Best Documentary Feature: nominated
2015Special Mention-Documentary Feature: winner
2015Jury Award-Best Documentary Feature: nominated
2015WFCC Award-Best Screen Couple: nominated
2016Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2016Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2016Cinema Eye Honors Award-The Influentials: winner
2016Cinema Eye Audience Choice Prize-: nominated
2016Cinema Eye Honors Award-Outstanding Achievement in Direction: nominated
2017Emmy-Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary: nominated