Benh Zeitlin

Benh Zeitlin, born October 14, 1982, is an American screenwriter and director. He is best known for directing Beasts of the Southern Wild, which won nearly thirty awards. Born in New York City and raised in Sunnyside, Queens and then Westchester County, Benh Zeitlin began his career as a filmmake... More

Benh Zeitlin, born October 14, 1982, is an American screenwriter and director. He is best known for directing Beasts of the Southern Wild, which won nearly thirty awards. Born in New York City and raised in Sunnyside, Queens and then Westchester County, Benh Zeitlin began his career as a filmmaker at the tender age of 6 when he and a friend made a Batman movie. He continued making films as a child before attending Wesleyan University, where he majored in film. After graduation, Benh spent a summer in Prague working with a prominent animation artist. Returning to the U.S., he worked in a private school in Manhattan helping elementary students create short films.