Halfdan Hussey Biography
Halfdan (hallf’ den) Hussey
From driving cabs in New York City to earning Summa Cum Laude in Literature (University of Colorado) to making
prize winning films, to founding a leading film institution, to writing novels, Halfdan’s experiences are rich
and unique.
At twenty-two, after studying film at NYU, Halfdan wrote, directed and co-produced a truly independent
feature entitled He's Still There that opened to rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival, Italy.
The film was a hit at the Critic's section of the festival. Soon thereafter he directed Still Waters Burn.
Halfdan Hussey
Co-Founder &
Executive Director
Ultimately, "He's Still There" is a sincerely great movie full of feeling and aspirations. Halfdan Hussey demonstrates not only an idea but also a remarkable ability to translate an idea to film. Halfdan Hussey is not only a 'goodfella' but a young bravo regazzo. Above all he is a bravo regista (great director). --Francesco Carrara, Venice Film Festival (Il Piccolo)
“I really like Still Waters Burn. Its young director shows brilliant promise and talent.”–Robert Wise (Four time Academy Award Winner; legendary director of The Day The Earth Stood Still, West Side Story, Sound of Music)
Halfdan then co-founded and developed the Cinequest Film Institute (Cinequest Distribution and Cinequest Film Festival). Cinequest Film Festival showcases maverick films, artists, and technology in the capital of the Silicon Valley. The industry's bible, The Ultimate Guide to Film Festivals, named Cinequest in the Top 10 amongst the world's 2,000 festivals. Some of the festival's renowned tribute guests (Kevin Spacey, Sir Ben Kingsley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Waters, William H. Macy and Gus Van Sant) attest to Cinequest’s reputation amongst artists. Recently Cinequest launched a state-of-the-art distribution division to further its work in delivering top Maverick films to fans worldwide and year-round in DVD, Internet and select TV. Cinequest Distribution has successfully released over 50 features—all of which held successful premieres at festivals like Cinequest, Berlin, Tribeca, Sundance, Cannes and Montreal.
Halfdan has returned to writing and filmmaking. Recently he directed and co-wrote Seizing Me, a psycho-erotic thriller about a woman who takes three unique people captive in order to seize the pieces missing from herself: mind, body and soul.
He has completed the first two novels (To the Dogs & Whirlwind of Whores) plus he has co-written the screenplays for a series of inter-connected films, novels and television.