Jim Cummings (filmmaker)
American filmmaker and actor (born 1986)
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Jim Cummings (born October 31, 1986) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer.[1][2][3] He is known for writing, directing and starring in the 2016 short film Thunder Road,[4] which he extended into a 2018 feature film of the same name.[5] He also wrote, directed and starred in The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020), and The Beta Test (2021).[6][7][8][9] He also starred in The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023).[10]
- Filmmaker
- actor
- composer
Jim Cummings | |
|---|---|
Cummings in 2020 | |
| Born | October 31, 1986 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Emerson College (BFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Awards | See below |
Early life and education
Cummings is from New Orleans.[11][12] He graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2009.[13] He relocated to Los Angeles following a divorce and worked as a producer for CollegeHumor.[14]
Career
For his work in Thunder Road (2018), Cummings won the South by Southwest Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.[15] He was also nominated for the 2018 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award for his work in Thunder Road.[16][17]
In March 2024, it was announced that Cummings, along with PJ McCabe and Thomas Cross, launched an independent production studio named Cool & Happy Limited.[18]
Cool & Happy's first production, an independent TV show titled The Screener will premiere at the 2026 edition of the Sundance Film Festival.[19]
Filmography
Feature films
| Year | Film | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | No Floodwall Here | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feature directorial debut |
| 2014 | Confusion Through Sand | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | The Grief of Others | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Krisha | No | No | Associate | No | |
| 2015 | 13 Cameras | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2018 | Thunder Road | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Also composer |
| 2020 | Beast Beast | No | No | Yes | No | |
| The Wolf of Snow Hollow | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| 2021 | The Beta Test | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Co-written / directed with PJ McCabe |
| 2023 | The Last Stop in Yuma County | No | No | Executive | No |
Short films
As a director
- Brothers (2009)
- The Flamingo (2012)
- Us Funny (2016)
- Call Your Father (2016)
- Thunder Road (2016)
- The Mountains of Mourne (2017)
- Hydrangea (2017)
- The Robbery (2017)
- It's All Right, It's Ok (2017)
- Is Now A Good Time? (2024)
As a producer
- The Last Brunch (2024)
Acting roles
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | This is Jay Calvin | Jay Calvin | Short film |
| 2015 | 13 Cameras | Paul | |
| 2016 | Thunder Road | Jim Arnaud | Short film |
| 2017 | The Mountains of Mourne | Jim | Short film |
| 2017 | The Show About the Show | YouTube Commentator | |
| 2017 | Still Life | Jim | Series |
| 2018 | Thunder Road | Jim Arnaud | |
| 2019 | Greener Grass | Rob | |
| 2020 | The Wolf of Snow Hollow | John Marshall | |
| 2020 | The Block Island Sound | Dale | |
| 2021 | The Beta Test | Jordan Hines | |
| 2021 | Halloween Kills | Pete McCabe | |
| 2023 | Barry | Barry Berkman | Episode: "wow" |
| 2023 | The Last Stop in Yuma County | The Knife Salesman | |
| 2025 | The Righteous Gemstones | Captain Cane | Episode: "Prelude" |
| 2025 | Redux Redux | Jonathan | |
| 2026 | The Yeti | Booker | |
Awards and nominations
Film festival awards
| Year | Festival | Film | Award | Result | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | USA Film Festival | Confusion Through Sand | Animation | 1st Place | |
| Indianapolis International Film Festival | American Spectrum Prize - Best Short | Won | |||
| 2016 | Sundance Film Festival | Thunder Road | Grand Jury Prize - Short Film | Won | |
| SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award for Narrative Short | Nominated | |||
| Special Jury Award for Acting | Won | ||||
| Provincetown International Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Narrative Short | Won | |||
| Philadelphia Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Short Film | Nominated | |||
| Palm Springs International ShortFest | Special Jury Award | Won | |||
| Los Angeles Film Festival | Jury Prize - Outstanding Performance | Won | |||
| HollyShorts Film Festival | Best Short Narrative | Won | |||
| ÉCU Film Festival | Festival Award - Non-European Shorts | Won | |||
| Chicago International Film Festival | Audience Choice Award - Best Short Film | Won | |||
| Champs-Élysées Film Festival | Best American Short Film | Won | |||
| Audience Award | Won | ||||
| Atlanta Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Short Film | Won | |||
| Anchorage International Film Festival | Best Short Film | Won | |||
| ShortList Film Festival | Creators League Prize | Won | |||
| 2017 | Sundance Film Festival | The Robbery | Grand Jury Prize - Short Film | Nominated | |
| SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award - Narrative Short | Nominated | |||
| Champs-Élysées Film Festival | Best American Short | Won | |||
| Anchorage International Film Festival | Best Super Short Film | Won | |||
| 2018 | SXSW Film Festival | Thunder Road | Grand Jury Prize - Narrative Feature | Won | |
| Sidewalk Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Won | |||
| Seattle International Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize - New American Cinema Competition | Won | |||
| Golden Space Needle Award- Best Actor | Nominated | ||||
| Deauville American Film Festival | Grand Prix | Won | |||
| Nashville Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize - New Director | Won | |||
| Fayetteville Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Won | |||
| Philadelphia Film Festival | Archie Award- Best First Feature | Nominated | |||
| Munich Film Festival | Best Film by an Emerging Director | Nominated | |||
| Buffalo International Film Festival | Best Feature Narrative | Nominated | |||
| Athens Film Festival | Best Picture | Nominated | |||
| Heartland Film Festival | Grand Prize - Narrative Feature | Nominated |
Independent Spirit Awards
| Year | Film | Award | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Thunder Road | John Cassavetes Award | Nominated | Shared with Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker and Benjamin Weissner |