Charles Kiselyak is an American film and television director, producer, and writer best known for creating critically acclaimed documentaries and feature films. He has directed over 25 films, including the highly acclaimed documentary The Hermitage: The Power of Art (2000) and the feature film A Tale Dark & Grimm (2010), which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival.
Kiselyak was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in nearby Michigan. He studied film at the University of Southern California, where he earned his MFA in film production and directing. After working as an editor and assistant director on various television shows, Kiselyak decided to focus on his own projects.
Kiselyak began his career in the 1990s with the documentaries The Hermitage: The Power of Art and The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach. He has since directed a variety of other documentaries, including the Emmy-nominated movie The Battle of Gettysburg (2003), the feature film The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2009), and the documentary series The Art of the Steal (2015), which won an Emmy Award.
Kiselyak is known for his ability to tell stories in an emotionally engaging way. He often uses a mix of archival footage, interviews, and recreations to bring his films to life. His films often explore the lives of famous and lesser-known figures from history, often focusing on the power of art and how it can shape the world.
Kiselyak has been awarded multiple honors, including the Robert Flaherty Award for Best Documentary at the International Documentary Association Award and Best Documentary at the Boston Independent Film Festival. His films have been featured at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Tribeca, and Sundance, and have been critically acclaimed by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Variety.
Kiselyak continues to work on various projects, including documentaries, feature films, and television shows. He is currently working on a project about the life of the artist Salvador Dalí, which is scheduled for release in 2021. His work has been described as "masterful" and "thought-provoking" and has earned him a place among the most respected and acclaimed directors working today.
