Peter Sillen / Director of Photography

Peter Sillen is a New York-based filmmaker. Sillen creates portraits of an array of individuals who live and work outside stereotypical 9-to-5 situations. With sensitivity to his subjects and their environments, Sillen's work gives an unobstructed view into the lives of a number of uniquely talented artists and workers.

Career highlights include BENJAMIN SMOKE a feature-length documentary collaboration with fellow filmmaker Jem Cohen. A portrait of the lead singer of the underground Atlanta band Smoke, the film premiered at the 2000 Berlin International Film Festival. BENJAMIN SMOKE was nominated for an IFP Independent Spirit Award as well as a Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Documentary Association.

Sillen's documentary SPEED RACER: WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF VIC CHESTNUTT premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1994. SPEED RACER is a half-hour portrait of the singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. It was nominated for the International Documentary Association Award and screened in festivals throughout the world, including Berlin, Munich, Rotterdam, Edinburgh, Seattle, London, Melbourne and San Francisco. The film also won the Juror's Choice Award at the Charlotte Film and Video Fest, and the Best Short Documentary award from the Olympia Film Festival. The film aired extensively on the Sundance Channel and PBS.

In 2003 Sillen returned to Sundance for the premiere of BRANSON: MUSICLAND USA, a collaboration with former NPR producer Dan Collison on the migrant workers who come to this country music theme town in Missouri, people looking for work and faced with the realities of low paying jobs and little affordable housing.

In 2004 Sillen premiered his new film, ALICE'S HOUSE at The Black Maria Film Festival. ALICE'S HOUSE is a portrait of 90 year old Alice Bullis and her everyday struggle to maintain her independence.