NOVAC

Michael Gottwald is a founding partner and producer with the Department of Motion Pictures. He produced BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, directed by Benh Zeitlin, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and the Camera d’Or at Cannes; it was nominated for four Academy Awards. Michael has produced episodes of “HIGH MAINTENANCE” and collaborated with acclaimed documentary filmmakers Bill & Turner Ross on TCHOUPITOULAS (premiered at SXSW), WESTERN (Special Jury Prize at Sundance), CONTEMPORARY COLOR (a concert film collaboration with David Byrne), and their most recent, BLOODY NOSE, EMPTY POCKETS, which premiered at Sundance and the Berlinale. Michael produced Geremy Jasper’s debut feature PATTI CAKE$, the closing night film of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. He is an Executive Producer on WENDY, Benh Zeitlin’s follow up to BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, and FAREWELL AMOR, Ekwa Msangi’s debut feature, both of which premiered at Sundance 2020. He also produced ITVS and Topic's documentary series PHILLY D.A., which premiered at Sundance 2021 before being broadcast nationwide on PBS. Before producing, Michael worked for both Barack Obama presidential campaigns, in 2008 and 2012.