Chris White(XVII)
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Trained as an actor and improv comedian, screenwriter-director-producer Chris White is a first-wave DSLR filmmaker who has emerged as a completely original comic voice in American independent cinema.
White’s early films were dark family comedies crafted from improvised dialogue, handheld cinematography, and free-form editing. That changed with 2014’s showbiz comedy "Cinema Purgatorio" and his 2016 southern gothic anthology "Unbecoming" (Patti D’Arbanville, Michael Forest). These collaborations with wife and producing partner Emily Reach White are more scripted, artistically ambitious, and decidedly comedy-forward.
But it would be White’s 2021 coming-of-age music-comedy "Electric Jesus" (Judd Nelson, Brian Baumgartner) that would be his breakout. "Electric Jesus" screened at more than 40 film festivals, winning White numerous writing and directing awards, distribution with The Orchard/1091, and a record deal with Joyful Noise Recordings.
"Electric Jesus: Music From and Inspired By the Motion Picture" features twenty-one tracks of White’s hilarious yet shockingly infectious songwriting collaboration with indie rock legend Daniel Smith (Danielson Famile). Joyful Noise Recordings put out a double vinyl album in independent record stores worldwide, and like the movie, the record became an instant cult classic.
White and Smith went on to collaborate on the short music film "Come And Save Me" with Danielson super fan Fred Armisen in 2024.
Next for White, the screwball music-comedy "So Long Farewell" (featuring all new White-Smith songs) and the screen adaptation of Tara Isabella Burton’s big city cabaret theatre thriller, "Here In Avalon".
White co-hosts the GenX movie podcast "Will They or Won’t They?" with actress Monica Wyche, serves on the board of New York’s Sea Dog Theatre, and is an avid South Carolina Gamecock fan. He just started piano lessons.
White’s early films were dark family comedies crafted from improvised dialogue, handheld cinematography, and free-form editing. That changed with 2014’s showbiz comedy "Cinema Purgatorio" and his 2016 southern gothic anthology "Unbecoming" (Patti D’Arbanville, Michael Forest). These collaborations with wife and producing partner Emily Reach White are more scripted, artistically ambitious, and decidedly comedy-forward.
But it would be White’s 2021 coming-of-age music-comedy "Electric Jesus" (Judd Nelson, Brian Baumgartner) that would be his breakout. "Electric Jesus" screened at more than 40 film festivals, winning White numerous writing and directing awards, distribution with The Orchard/1091, and a record deal with Joyful Noise Recordings.
"Electric Jesus: Music From and Inspired By the Motion Picture" features twenty-one tracks of White’s hilarious yet shockingly infectious songwriting collaboration with indie rock legend Daniel Smith (Danielson Famile). Joyful Noise Recordings put out a double vinyl album in independent record stores worldwide, and like the movie, the record became an instant cult classic.
White and Smith went on to collaborate on the short music film "Come And Save Me" with Danielson super fan Fred Armisen in 2024.
Next for White, the screwball music-comedy "So Long Farewell" (featuring all new White-Smith songs) and the screen adaptation of Tara Isabella Burton’s big city cabaret theatre thriller, "Here In Avalon".
White co-hosts the GenX movie podcast "Will They or Won’t They?" with actress Monica Wyche, serves on the board of New York’s Sea Dog Theatre, and is an avid South Carolina Gamecock fan. He just started piano lessons.
