Andrew Levitas is a man with many hats. Foremost, he has had an extraordinary career in the art world, working on dozens of paintings, sculptures and “Metalwork Photography,” a form he specializes in. By his early teens, Levitas was already well on his way to being an acclaimed artist and actor, as a member of an experimental theatre company under the tutelage of local New York artists. His works have been featured in exhibits and galleries across the United States and beyond, and he has such a revered reputation in the American art scene that he became one of his country’s only painters to ever be accepted into the prestigious Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts.
However, it took him more than a decade to work on an intensely personal film called Lullaby, which opened in limited release on June 13. The story of his father’s struggle and death inspired this first screenplay and the result is one of the most moving and sensitive films of the year (you can read our review here).
We Got This Covered recently spoke with Levitas in an exclusive interview. He talked about about why making films is such a unique experience, finding the right actors, and the advice he has for young directors.
Check it out below and enjoy!
You’ve had a very big career as a New York artist and have done some acting and producing work as well. You’ve worn many different hats over your career. Has writing and directing film always been something you were always interested in?
Andrew Levitas: Absolutely. I love movies. I always have. I was that kid that, you know… give me exactly two hours and I will sit down and watch a movie. Give me six hours, I’ll watch three of them. I always loved cinema. The fine art part of my life has really been spent in a very singular, personal way where your work is only your own and it really is a reflection of only what you are feeling and thinking and also capable of physically creating. I was also that kid that would sit in a theatre and watch the credits roll at a movie theatre. It was amazing how many people were attached, but at the time, I didn’t really understand what all those jobs were. It was clear that hundreds of people got together to make this piece of art though, and that’s always been super appealing.
I’ve always been interested in making movies. I didn’t know when it would and how it would happen. But, essentially I found a story and an idea that I couldn’t tell with my paintbrush or sculpture or poetry. And it really seemed to lend itself to a two-hour format where people could really be absorbed by it and have the time and space to examine it.
