Jim Cummings (filmmaker)

Jim Cummings
Cummings in 2020
Born (1986-10-31) October 31, 1986
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma materEmerson College (BFA)
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • actor
  • composer
Years active2009–present
AwardsSee below

Jim Cummings (born October 31, 1986) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer.[1][2][3] He is known for writing, directing and starring in the 2016 short film Thunder Road,[4] which he extended into a 2018 feature film of the same name.[5] He also wrote, directed and starred in The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020), and The Beta Test (2021).[6][7][8][9] He also starred in The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023).[10]

Early life and education

Cummings is from New Orleans.[11][12] He graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2009.[13] He relocated to Los Angeles following a divorce and worked as a producer for CollegeHumor.[14]

Career

For his work in Thunder Road (2018), Cummings won the South by Southwest Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.[15] He was also nominated for the 2018 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award for his work in Thunder Road.[16][17]

In March 2024, it was announced that Cummings, along with PJ McCabe and Thomas Cross, launched an independent production studio named Cool & Happy Limited.[18]

Cool & Happy's first production, an independent TV show titled The Screener will premiere at the 2026 edition of the Sundance Film Festival.[19]

Filmography

Feature films

Year Film Director Writer Producer Editor Notes
2010 No Floodwall Here Yes Yes Yes Yes Feature directorial debut
2014 Confusion Through Sand No No Yes No
2015 The Grief of Others No No Yes No
2015 Krisha No No Associate No
2015 13 Cameras No No Yes No
2018 Thunder Road Yes Yes No Yes Also composer
2020 Beast Beast No No Yes No
The Wolf of Snow Hollow Yes Yes No No
2021 The Beta Test Yes Yes No Yes Co-written / directed with PJ McCabe
2023 The Last Stop in Yuma County No No Executive No

Short films

As a director

  • Brothers (2009)
  • The Flamingo (2012)
  • Us Funny (2016)
  • Call Your Father (2016)
  • Thunder Road (2016)
  • The Mountains of Mourne (2017)
  • Hydrangea (2017)
  • The Robbery (2017)
  • It's All Right, It's Ok (2017)
  • Is Now A Good Time? (2024)

As a producer

  • The Last Brunch (2024)

Acting roles

Year Film Role Notes
2014 This is Jay Calvin Jay Calvin Short film
2015 13 Cameras Paul
2016 Thunder Road Jim Arnaud Short film
2017 The Mountains of Mourne Jim Short film
2017 The Show About the Show YouTube Commentator
2017 Still Life Jim Series
2018 Thunder Road Jim Arnaud
2019 Greener Grass Rob
2020 The Wolf of Snow Hollow John Marshall
2020 The Block Island Sound Dale
2021 The Beta Test Jordan Hines
2021 Halloween Kills Pete McCabe
2023 Barry Barry Berkman Episode: "wow"
2023 The Last Stop in Yuma County The Knife Salesman
2025 The Righteous Gemstones Captain Cane Episode: "Prelude"
2025 Redux Redux Jonathan
2026 The Yeti Booker

Awards and nominations

Film festival awards

Year Festival Film Award Result Refs.
2014 USA Film Festival Confusion Through Sand Animation 1st Place
Indianapolis International Film Festival American Spectrum Prize - Best Short Won
2016 Sundance Film Festival Thunder Road Grand Jury Prize - Short Film Won
SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury Award for Narrative Short Nominated
Special Jury Award for Acting Won
Provincetown International Film Festival Jury Award - Best Narrative Short Won
Philadelphia Film Festival Jury Award - Best Short Film Nominated
Palm Springs International ShortFest Special Jury Award Won
Los Angeles Film Festival Jury Prize - Outstanding Performance Won
HollyShorts Film Festival Best Short Narrative Won
ÉCU Film Festival Festival Award - Non-European Shorts Won
Chicago International Film Festival Audience Choice Award - Best Short Film Won
Champs-Élysées Film Festival Best American Short Film Won
Audience Award Won
Atlanta Film Festival Jury Award - Best Short Film Won
Anchorage International Film Festival Best Short Film Won
ShortList Film Festival Creators League Prize Won
2017 Sundance Film Festival The Robbery Grand Jury Prize - Short Film Nominated
SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury Award - Narrative Short Nominated
Champs-Élysées Film Festival Best American Short Won
Anchorage International Film Festival Best Super Short Film Won
2018 SXSW Film Festival Thunder Road Grand Jury Prize - Narrative Feature Won
Sidewalk Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Won
Seattle International Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - New American Cinema Competition Won
Golden Space Needle Award- Best Actor Nominated
Deauville American Film Festival Grand Prix Won
Nashville Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - New Director Won
Fayetteville Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Won
Philadelphia Film Festival Archie Award- Best First Feature Nominated
Munich Film Festival Best Film by an Emerging Director Nominated
Buffalo International Film Festival Best Feature Narrative Nominated
Athens Film Festival Best Picture Nominated
Heartland Film Festival Grand Prize - Narrative Feature Nominated

Independent Spirit Awards

Year Film Award Result Notes
2019 Thunder Road John Cassavetes Award Nominated Shared with Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker and Benjamin Weissner

References

  1. ↑ Horton, H. Perry (June 28, 2017). "Short(s) of the Day: A New Triptych of Films from Jim Cummings". Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  2. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (June 24, 2020). "Vanishing Angle Sets Jim Cummings Thriller 'The Beta Test' as Next Film (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  3. ↑ Winfrey, Graham (July 14, 2017). "How One Sundance Short Led to a $150,000 Production Deal (and Much More)". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ gayne, Zach (July 21, 2016). "Interview: Jim Cummings Takes Hold on Thunder Road". Screen Anarchy. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  5. ↑ Sarachan, Risa (January 3, 2019). "Independent Filmmaker Jim Cummings On How Filmmakers Can Create And Distribute Without Help". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  6. ↑ Swope, Michelle (October 8, 2020). "Interview – Director Jim Cummings on the Hair-Raising Creature Effects in The Wolf of Snow Hollow and Working With the Legendary Robert Forster". Dread Central. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  7. ↑ Means, Sean P. (October 9, 2020). "For director of 'Wolf of Snow Hollow,' filming a werewolf movie in Utah was like 'winter summer camp'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  8. ↑ Thompson, Simon (October 7, 2020). "Jim Cummings Talks 'The Wolf Of Snow Hollow' And Making Movie Magic On A Budget". Forbes. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  9. ↑ Hermanns, Grant (October 9, 2020). "CS Interview: Writer/Director/Star Jim Cummings on The Wolf of Snow Hollow". Comingsoon.net. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  10. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (May 6, 2024). "The Last Stop in Yuma County Star Jim Cummings Talks Finding the Right Tone for the Neo-Noir". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ Richards, Olly (May 28, 2019). "'Thunder Road' director Jim Cummings: 'I failed for so many years'". Time Out. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  12. ↑ Nicholson, Tom (May 28, 2019). "How To Make The Year's Funniest, Saddest And Cheapest Indie Film". Esquire. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Award-winning Thunder Road Plays at Emerson LA". Emerson Today. April 27, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Interview: Jim Cummings Takes Hold on THUNDER ROAD". ScreenAnarchy. July 21, 2016. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  15. ↑ Haring, Bruce (March 13, 2018). "SXSW Film Festival Jury Awards: 'Thunder Road' By Jim Cummings Wins Narrative". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  16. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (November 16, 2018). "Independent Spirit Awards: 'Eighth Grade,' 'First Reformed' Among Best Feature Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 17, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  17. ↑ Goldberg, Matt (November 16, 2018). "'We the Animals', 'Eighth Grade', and 'You Were Never Really Here' Lead Independent Spirit Awards". Collider. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  18. ↑ Stephan, Katcy (March 28, 2024). "Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe and Thomas Cross Launch Cool & Happy Production Studio (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  19. ↑ courides, alex (December 10, 2025). "2026 Sundance Film Festival Unveils 97 Projects Selected for the Feature Film and Episodic Program - sundance.org". Archived from the original on December 13, 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
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