Thomas William Luddy (June 4, 1943 – February 13, 2023) was an American film producer and the co-founder of the Telluride Film Festival.[1] He has a longtime association with the production company American Zoetrope. He has been a member of the jury at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival,[2] the 38th Berlin International Film Festival[3] and the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.[4]

Tom Luddy
Born
Thomas William Luddy

(1943-06-04)June 4, 1943
New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 2023(2023-02-13) (aged 79)
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley (BA)
OccupationFilm producer
Years active1980–2008
SpouseMonique Montgomery

Background and work

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Luddy was born in New York City and raised in the suburb of White Plains, New York.[5] He moved to California to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied English and became involved in political activism and the local film community.[5]

In the 1970s, Luddy organized screenings for the Pacific Film Archive at Berkeley, with a particular focus in bringing foreign films to the United States.[5] He also produced films, frequently for American Zoetrope.[5] He partially funded Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters on his personal credit card.[5]

In 1974, Luddy and a group of friends founded the Telluride Film Festival, envisioning it to be an event without the extensive media presence of other festivals, and screening a variety of new and old titles.[5]

Personal life and death

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Luddy was married to the former Monique Montgomery. He died from complications of Parkinson's disease at his home in Berkeley on February 13, 2023, at the age of 79.[5]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ "Tom Luddy: Biography". Academia Rossica. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "11th Moscow International Film Festival (1979)". MIFF. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  3. ^ "1988 Berlin Film Festival". Berlinale. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  4. ^ "1993 Cannes Film Festival". Cannes. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Green, Penelope (February 26, 2023). "Tom Luddy, a Behind-the-Scenes Force in Cinema, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
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