Samy Burch

Last updated
Samy Burch
Born
Los Angeles, California
Education New York University Tisch School of the Arts
OccupationScreenwriter
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2023)​
Relatives Molly Burch (sister)

Samy Burch is an American screenwriter. She is known for writing May December (2023), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Contents

Early life and education

Burch was raised in West Los Angeles and attended the Archer School for Girls. [1] [2] She was exposed to the film industry at an early age through her parents; her mother worked in film casting while her father worked in film development. [3] Her sister is singer Molly Burch. [4]

In 2009, Burch graduated from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a bachelor's degree in Dramatic Writing. [5]

Career

Early in her career, Burch worked in casting, writing audition materials for actors. [6] She also wrote and directed a series of short films with her now-husband, Alex Mechanik. [7]

Burch completed the screenplay for May December , her first feature film, in 2019. The script was inspired by recollections of the 1990s tabloid culture of her youth, particularly the case of Mary Kay Letourneau. Director Todd Haynes first read the script in 2020 and the completed film premiered on May 20, 2023, at the 76th Cannes Film Festival. [3]

Burch wrote the screenplay for the Warner Bros. family comedy movie Coyote vs. Acme , based on a 1990 Ian Frazier humor piece that first appeared in The New Yorker . It was shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery in November 2023, who reversed its decision a week later after public backlash, but in February 2024, was expected to be deleted and claimed as a tax write-off. [8] [9] On March 10, 2024, Burch told IndieWire at the 2024 Academy Awards that the film may still be released and conversations are still ongoing. [10]

Personal life

In 2023, Burch married Alex Mechanik, with whom she developed the story for May December. The pair met while studying film at NYU and currently reside in Los Angeles. [1] [11]

Filmography

YearTitleNotes
2013All You Can EatShort film;
Co-directed with Alex Mechanik
2016Bev
2017Crown Prince
2023 May December —
TBA Coyote vs. Acme —

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2023 New York Film Critics Circle Best Screenplay May December Won [6] [12]
Gotham Awards Best Screenplay Nominated [13]
Boston Society of Film Critics Best Screenplay Runner-up [lower-alpha 1] [14]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Screenplay Runner-up [15]
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Won [16]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Original ScreenplayNominated [17] [18]
Boston Online Film Critics Association Best ScreenplayWon [lower-alpha 2] [19]
Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Original ScreenplayRunner-up [lower-alpha 3] [20] [21]
San Diego Film Critics Society Best Original Screenplay Nominated [22] [23]
Online Association of Female Film Critics Best Original ScreenplayRunner-up [lower-alpha 3] [24]
2024 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Original ScreenplayNominated [25]
Best Female ScreenwriterNominated [25] [26]
Columbus Film Critics Association Best Original ScreenplayNominated [lower-alpha 3] [27] [28]
Georgia Film Critics Association Nominated [29]
North Carolina Film Critics Association Nominated [30]
DiscussingFilm Critic AwardsWon [31]
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Nominated [32]
National Society of Film Critics Best Screenplay Won [33]
Utah Film Critics Association Best Original ScreenplayNominated [34] [35]
Seattle Film Critics Society Best ScreenplayNominated [36] [37]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Original ScreenplayNominated [38] [39]
Austin Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Nominated [lower-alpha 3] [40]
Denver Film Critics Society Best Original ScreenplayNominated [41] [42]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Original Screenplay Nominated [43]
North Dakota Film Society Best ScreenplayNominated [lower-alpha 3] [44]
Portland Critics Association Nominated [45]
Satellite Awards Best Original Screenplay Nominated [46]
Independent Spirit Awards Best First Screenplay Won [lower-alpha 3] [47]
Academy Awards Best Original Screenplay Nominated [48]
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Original Screenplay Pending [49]

Notes

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References

  1. 1 2 Wong Macabaso, Lisa (November 20, 2023). "First-Time Screenwriter Samy Burch on the Slippery Story of May December". Vogue. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  2. ↑ n.a. "Archer Alumni Stars Shine Bright as Awards Season Kicks Off: Samy Burch '05 and Gracie Abrams '18". Archer School for Girls. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  3. 1 2 Braun (October 30, 2023). "SPOTLIGHT November 2023: Samy Burch, Screenwriter, MAY DECEMBER". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  4. ↑ n.a. (2 December 2018). "Girl to Know: Molly Burch". DNA MAG. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  5. ↑ n.a. "2023 GOTHAM AWARD NOMINEES". Tisch School of the Arts. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Jones, Marcus (December 4, 2023). "Screenwriter Samy Burch on Building to That Final 'Funny Punchline' of 'May December'". Indiewire. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  7. ↑ n.a. "Samy Burch". IMDb. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 9, 2023). "'Coyote Vs. Acme': Warner Bros Shelves Finished Live-Action/Animated Pic Completely As Studio Takes $30M Tax Write-off". Deadline. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  9. ↑ Dick, Jeremy (2024-02-09). "Coyote vs. Acme's Latest Update Spells Very Bad News for Looney Tunes Movie". CBR. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  10. ↑ Perella, Samantha Bergeson,Vincent; Bergeson, Samantha; Perella, Vincent (2024-03-10). "'Coyote vs. Acme' Writer Samy Burch Says Film May Still Be Released: Conversations Are 'Ongoing,' but We'd Be 'Heartbroken' If It's Shelved". IndieWire. Retrieved 2024-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Douglas, Edward (November 29, 2023). "May December Screenwriter Samy Burch on Collaborating with Todd Haynes on the Timely Netflix Drama". Above the Line. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  12. ↑ n.a. "AWARDS". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  13. ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (October 24, 2023). "Gotham Awards Nominations: 'All of Us Strangers' Tops Movie List; Ryan Gosling Gets 'Barbie' Nom With Budget Caps Removed". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  14. ↑ Anderson, Erik (December 10, 2023). "2023 Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC): 'The Holdovers' Wins Best Film, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  15. ↑ Davis, Clayton (December 10, 2023). "'The Zone of Interest' Wins Best Picture at Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, Four Women Take Acting Prizes (Full Winners List)". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  16. ↑ n.a. "THREE FILMS WIN THREE HONORS EACH AT 2023 CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION HONORS". Chicago Film Critics Association. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ Neglia, Matt (December 8, 2023). "The 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  18. ↑ Anderson, Erik (December 13, 2023). "Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: 'Oppenheimer,' Bradley Cooper, 'Godzilla Minus One' Top Winners". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  19. ↑ Anderson, Erik (December 17, 2023). "Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) Awards: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Named Best Picture, 'Oppenheimer' Wins 5". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  20. ↑ n.a. "2023 Award Nominees". Indiana Film Journalists Association. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Neglia, Matt (December 17, 2023). "The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  22. ↑ Neglia, Matt (December 15, 2023). "The 2023 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  23. ↑ n.a. (December 19, 2023). "2023 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Winners". San Diego Film Critics Society. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  24. ↑ n.a. (December 21, 2023). "AWARDS Online Association of Female Film Critics 2023 Awards – Winners". Online Association of Female Film Critics. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  25. 1 2 n.a. "2023 EDA Awards Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  26. ↑ n.a. "2023 EDA Award Winners". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  27. ↑ n.a. "Awards 2023 Nominees". Columbus Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  28. ↑ n.a. "Awards 2023". Columbus Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  29. ↑ n.a. "2023 Awards". Georgia Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  30. ↑ n.a. "Oppenheimer Awarded in a Record-Breaking Ten Categories by North Carolina Film Critics Association Best of 2023". North Carolina Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  31. ↑ Rolph, Ben (January 6, 2024). "DiscussingFilm Critic Awards 2024: The Winners". DiscussingFilm. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  32. ↑ n.a. (6 January 2024). "Awards: Our 2023 Winners". Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  33. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (January 6, 2024). "'Past Lives' Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  34. ↑ Neglia, Matt (16 December 2023). "The 2023 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  35. ↑ Painter, Ryan (January 6, 2024). "Utah Film Critics Association 2023 Award Winners". KUTV. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  36. ↑ Anderson, Erik (3 January 2024). "Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Nominations: 'Poor Things,' 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Lead". AwardsWatch. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  37. ↑ Neglia, Matt (January 8, 2024). "The 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  38. ↑ n.a. "San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle". SFBAFCC 2023 AWARDS. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  39. ↑ Neglia, Matt (January 9, 2024). "The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  40. ↑ Anderson, Erik (January 4, 2024). "Austin Film Critics Association Nominations (AFCA): 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Oppenheimer' Lead with 10 Each". AwardsWatch. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  41. ↑ Jamieson, Doug (January 6, 2024). "Barbie and Poor Things Lead Denver Film Critics Society Nominations". Filmotomy. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  42. ↑ Neglia, Matt (January 12, 2024). "The 2023 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  43. ↑ Davis, Clayton (December 13, 2023). "Critics Choice 2024 Nominations: 'Barbie' Breaks All-Time Record With 18 Noms". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  44. ↑ Neglia, Matt (January 15, 2024). "The 2023 North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  45. ↑ Neglia, Matt (January 15, 2024). "The 2023 Portland Critics Association (PCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  46. ↑ n.a. "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  47. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 5, 2023). "Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations: Best Feature 'American Fiction', 'May December', 'All Of Us Strangers', 'Passages', 'Past Lives' & 'We Grown Now' — Live". Deadline. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  48. ↑ Gonzalez, Shivani (January 23, 2024). "Oscar Nominees 2024". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  49. ↑ n.a. "2024 Writers Guild Awards Nominees". Writers Guild of America. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
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