Abel Ferrara

Biography

Abel Ferrara (Italian: [ferˈraːra]; born July 19, 1951) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for the provocative and often controversial content in his movies and his use and redefinition of neo-noir imagery. A long-time independent filmmaker, some of his best known movies include the New York-set, gritty crime thrillers The Driller Killer (1979), Ms .45 (1981), King of New York (1990), Bad Lieutenant (1992), and The Funeral (1996), chronicling violent crime in urban settings with spiritual overtones. Ferrara also worked in a wide array of genres, including the sci-fi remake Body Snatchers (1993), cyberpunk thriller New Rose Hotel (1998), the religious drama Mary (2005), the black comedy Go Go Tales (2007), and the biopic Pasolini (2014), as well as in several documentary filmmaking projects.

Known For

Marty Supreme

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Ms .45

Black Butterfly

Don Peyote

Don Peyote

Plankton Salesmen

The Driller Killer

All Movies (44)

• Marty Supreme2025 · as Ezra Mishkin
• Judas' Gospel2025 · as Herodes
• The Passion According to Béatrice2024 · as Self
• Soldato sotto la luna2022 · as Anicio
• Please Leave a Message: Anthology Film Archives Voicemails Through the Ages2022
• Buon Lavoro2022
• The Night Burns2021 · as Abel
• Bleedings2021
• Sportin' Life2020 · as Self
• The App2019
• The Projectionist2019 · as Himself
• Alive in France2018 · as Self
• Talking with the Vampires2018
• A Talent For Trouble2018 · as Self
• Wiara2018 · as Self
• Plankton Salesmen2017 · as Self (archive footage)
• Piazza Vittorio2017 · as Himself
• Black Butterfly2017 · as Pat
• Water and Sugar – Carlo Di Palma: The Colours of Life2017 · as Self
• Ultima Chiamata2017
• Sculpt2016
• Don Peyote2014 · as Taxi Cab Driver
• Don Peyote2014 · as Manhattan Cab Driver
• Balkan Spirit2013 · as Self - Director
• Home Sweet Home2012
• Abel Ferrara in Lucca2012
• Mulberry St.2010 · as Self
• Uncle Bob2010 · as Self
• Daddy Longlegs2010 · as Robber
• Chelsea on the Rocks2008 · as Self
• Cannes: All Access2007 · as Self
• Exes2006 · as Caïn
• Odyssey in Rome2005
• Nice to Meet You, Please Don't Love Me!2004 · as Himself
• Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty2003 · as Self
• Abel/Asia1998 · as Self
• At Sundance1995 · as Self
• Ms .451981 · as 1st Rapist
• The Driller Killer1979 · as Reno Miller
• 9 Lives of a Wet Pussy1976 · as Old Man
• Nicky's Film1971 · as Man in junkyard
• Siegfriedsdorf—
• Embryo: Beyond the Door—
• The Night Burns—

All TV Shows (1)

• Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown2013 · as Self