Hal Hartley (b. November 3, 1959, Lindenhurst, New York) is an American film director and writer, and a pioneer of the independent film movement who was educated at the State University of New York at Purchase.
Early on, Hartley was interested in painting and attended the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. While studying there, he took a few courses in filmmaking and realized that this was what he wanted to do. He moved back to New York in 1980 and attended SUNY because he liked that it was a working class film school. He began working on a number of short films and assembled a group of technicians and actors who would go on to work with him on his feature films.
Four years later, Hartley graduated and moved to New York City where he shot his feature film debut, The Unbelievable Truth in 1989. It was filmed in 11 days at the homes of various relatives for only $75,000. After making his next film, Trust for $650,000, he was approached by American Playhouse to make three short films for PBS television. This project allowed him to experiment with style. Simple Men marked his most expensive film at that point in his career with a $2,000,000 budget.
His films are often noted for their deadpan acting style and dialogue that is simultaneously philosophical and humorous. He often composes and performs the music for his films under the pseudonym Ned Rifle. Unlike most feature film directors, Hartley also makes many short films, which have been collected in DVD anthologies.
Hartley's unique style has helped him develop a cult following. Many of his films have recurring themes, including settings on Long Island, where he was born; discomfort with technology; and foreigners at odds with local culture. He also uses many of the same actors repeatedly, including Robert John Burke, Martin Donovan, Elina Lowensohn, Bill Sage, Karen Sillas, Damian Young, Thomas Jay Ryan, James Urbaniak, Parker Posey, and the late Adrienne Shelly.
In 1997 Hartley was made Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic.
