Samy Burch
Born
Los Angeles
EducationNew York University Tisch School of the Arts
OccupationScreenwriter
Spouse
Alex Mechanik
​
​
(m. 2023)​
RelativesMolly 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.

Early life and education

Burch was raised in West Los Angeles.[1] 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.[2] Her sister is singer Molly Burch.[3]

In 2009, Burch graduated from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a bachelor's degree in Dramatic Writing.[4]

Career

Early in her career, Burch worked in casting, writing audition materials for actors.[5] She also wrote and directed a series of short films with her now-husband, Alex Mechanik.[6]

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.[2]

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, which was shelved in November 2023 but later brought back after public backlash. As of December 2023, the completed film is still being offered to other distributors such as Amazon MGM Studios, Netflix and Paramount Pictures.[7][8]

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][9] Her sister is singer-songwriter Molly Burch.

Filmography

Year Title Notes
2013 All You Can Eat Short film;
Co-written and co-directed with Alex Mechanik
2016 Bev
2017 Crown Prince
2023 May December —
TBA Coyote vs. Acme —

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2023 New York Film Critics Circle Best Screenplay May December Won [5][10]
Gotham Awards Best Screenplay Nominated [11]
Boston Society of Film Critics Best Screenplay Runner-up[a] [12]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Screenplay Runner-up [13]
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Won [14]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Original Screenplay Nominated [15][16]
Boston Online Film Critics Association Best Screenplay Won[b] [17]
Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Original Screenplay Runner-up[c] [18][19]
San Diego Film Critics Society Best Original Screenplay Nominated [20] [21]
Online Association of Female Film Critics Best Original Screenplay Runner-up[c] [22]
2024 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Original Screenplay Nominated [23]
Best Female Screenwriter Nominated [23][24]
Columbus Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Nominated [25][26]
Georgia Film Critics Association Nominated [27]
North Carolina Film Critics Association Nominated [28]
DiscussingFilm Critic Awards Won [29]
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Nominated [30]
National Society of Film Critics Best Screenplay Won [31]
Utah Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Nominated [32][33]
Seattle Film Critics Society Best Screenplay Nominated [34][35]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Original Screenplay Nominated [36][37]
Austin Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Nominated[c] [38]
Denver Film Critics Society Best Original Screenplay Nominated [39][40]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Original Screenplay Nominated [41]
North Dakota Film Society Best Screenplay Nominated[c] [42]
Portland Critics Association Nominated [43]
Satellite Awards Best Original Screenplay Pending [44]
Independent Spirit Awards Best First Screenplay Pending[c] [45]
Academy Awards Best Original Screenplay Pending [46]

Notes

  1. ^ Tied with Nicole Holofcener for You Hurt My Feelings.
  2. ^ Tied with David Hemingson for The Holdovers.
  3. ^ a b c d e Shared with cowriter Alex Mechanik

References

  1. ^ a b Wong Macabaso, Lisa (20 November 2023). "First-Time Screenwriter Samy Burch on the Slippery Story of May December". Vogue. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b Braun (30 October 2023). "SPOTLIGHT November 2023: Samy Burch, Screenwriter, MAY DECEMBER". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  3. ^ n.a. "Girl to Know: Molly Burch". DNA MAG. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  4. ^ n.a. "2023 GOTHAM AWARD NOMINEES". Tisch School of the Arts. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b Jones, Marcus (4 December 2023). "Screenwriter Samy Burch on Building to That Final 'Funny Punchline' of 'May December'". Indiewire. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  6. ^ n.a. "Samy Burch". IMDb. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  7. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (9 November 2023). "'Coyote Vs. Acme': Warner Bros Shelves Finished Live-Action/Animated Pic Completely As Studio Takes $30M Tax Write-off". Deadline. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  8. ^ Frazier, Ian. "Coyote v. Acme". Conde Nast. The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  9. ^ Douglas, Edward (29 November 2023). "May December Screenwriter Samy Burch on Collaborating with Todd Haynes on the Timely Netflix Drama". Above the Line. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  10. ^ n.a. "AWARDS". New York Film Critics Circle. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ Anderson, Erik (10 December 2023). "2023 Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC): 'The Holdovers' Wins Best Film, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  13. ^ Davis, Clayton (10 December 2023). "'The Zone of Interest' Wins Best Picture at Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, Four Women Take Acting Prizes (Full Winners List)". Variety. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  14. ^ n.a. "THREE FILMS WIN THREE HONORS EACH AT 2023 CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION HONORS". Chicago Film Critics Association. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  15. ^ Neglia, Matt (8 December 2023). "The 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  16. ^ Anderson, Erik (13 December 2023). "Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: 'Oppenheimer,' Bradley Cooper, 'Godzilla Minus One' Top Winners". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  17. ^ Anderson, Erik (17 December 2023). "Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA) Awards: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Named Best Picture, 'Oppenheimer' Wins 5". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  18. ^ n.a. "2023 Award Nominees". Indiana Film Journalists Association. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  19. ^ Neglia, Matt (17 December 2023). "The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  20. ^ Neglia, Matt (15 December 2023). "The 2023 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  21. ^ n.a. (19 December 2023). "2023 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Winners". San Diego Film Critics Society. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  22. ^ n.a. (21 December 2023). "AWARDS Online Association of Female Film Critics 2023 Awards – Winners". Online Association of Female Film Critics. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  23. ^ a b n.a. "2023 EDA Awards Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  24. ^ n.a. "2023 EDA Award Winners". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  25. ^ n.a. "Awards 2023 Nominees". Columbus Film Critics Association. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  26. ^ n.a. "Awards 2023". Columbus Film Critics Association. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  27. ^ n.a. "2023 Awards". Georgia Film Critics Association. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  28. ^ 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 7 January 2024.
  29. ^ Rolph, Ben (6 January 2024). "DiscussingFilm Critic Awards 2024: The Winners". DiscussingFilm. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  30. ^ n.a. "Awards: Our 2023 Winners". Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  31. ^ Lewis, Hilary (6 January 2024). "'Past Lives' Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  32. ^ Neglia, Matt (16 December 2023). "The 2023 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  33. ^ Painter, Ryan (6 January 2024). "Utah Film Critics Association 2023 Award Winners". KUTV. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  34. ^ Anderson, Erik (3 January 2024). "Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Nominations: 'Poor Things,' 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Lead". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  35. ^ Neglia, Matt (8 January 2024). "The 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  36. ^ n.a. "San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle". SFBAFCC 2023 AWARDS. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  37. ^ Neglia, Matt (9 January 2024). "The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  38. ^ Anderson, Erik (4 January 2024). "Austin Film Critics Association Nominations (AFCA): 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' 'Oppenheimer' Lead with 10 Each". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  39. ^ Jamieson, Doug (6 January 2024). "Barbie and Poor Things Lead Denver Film Critics Society Nominations". Filmotomy. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  40. ^ Neglia, Matt (12 January 2024). "The 2023 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  41. ^ Davis, Clayton (13 December 2023). "Critics Choice 2024 Nominations: 'Barbie' Breaks All-Time Record With 18 Noms". Variety. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  42. ^ Neglia, Matt (15 January 2024). "The 2023 North Dakota Film Society (NDFS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  43. ^ Neglia, Matt (15 January 2024). "The 2023 Portland Critics Association (PCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  44. ^ n.a. "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  45. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (5 December 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 5 December 2023.
  46. ^ Gonzalez, Shivani (2024-01-23). "Oscar Nominees 2024". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-23.

External links

Awards for Samy Burch
Categories