Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American filmmaker known for his surreal, melodramatic, and often disturbing films. He studied film and social anthropology at Harvard University and later attended the AFI Conservatory to study directing. Aronofsky gained recognition for his senior thesis film, Supermarket Sweep, which became a National Student Academy Award finalist. In 1997, he established Protozoa Pictures, his own film and TV production company. His feature film debut, the psychological thriller Pi (1998), earned critical acclaim and won him the Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Aronofsky's follow-up, the drama Requiem for a Dream (2000), received positive reviews and garnered an Academy Award nomination for Ellen Burstyn's performance.