Director Jonathan Demme Dead at 73

Filmmaker Jonathan Demme, renowned for Silence of the Lambs, Stop Making Sense, and Philadelphia, has died, IndieWire reports and a representative for Demme confirms. He was 73 and died this morning from complications from esophageal cancer. Demme was best known for 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Director. He also directed Talking Heads’ iconic concert film Stop Making Sense, as well as the Oscar-nominated movies Philadelphia and Rachel Getting Married. In addition, he made three documentaries for Neil Young (2006’s Neil Young: Heart of Gold, 2009’s Neil Young Trunk Show, and 2012’s Neil Young Journeys), as well as a film for Justin Timberlake—2016’s Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids. As a music video director, he made visuals for Bruce Springsteen, New Order, the Feelies, and others.

Demme’s family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Americans for Immigrant Justice in Miami. 

“Jonathan taught us how big a heart a person can have, and how it will guide how we live and what we do for a living. He was the grandest of men,” Tom Hanks said in a statement.

Meryl Streep said of Demme: “A big-hearted, big tent, compassionate man in full embrace in his life of people in need and of the potential of art, music, poetry and film to fill that need. A big loss to the caring world.”

Comments are closed.