Indie Filmmaker Jeff Baena Has Passed Away At 47
Tragic news Jeff Baena died. The screenwriter/film director is most known for Life After Beth (2014, Joshy (2016) The Little Hours (2017) Horse Girl (2022), Spin Me Round 2022, and for cowriting I Heart Huckabees 2004. Aubrey Plaza and he have been married since the year 2021.
Circumstances of his passing are unclear at this moment, and we will update the post as more comes in. Baena began his career in Los Angeles after graduating from NYU Film School. Baena began his career as a production assistant to Robert Zemeckis. He worked on several films. Next, he became an assistant editor to writer-director David O. Russell.
Baena is perhaps best known for cowriting I Heart Huckabees, which was nominated in 2004 for the Gotham Award Best Feature. He made his debut as a director in 2014 with Life After Beth, which he wrote. The film was released by A24 after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014. It won the Grand Jury Prize. Joshy, which was released by Lionsgate and premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2016, also received a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize. Baena also wrote and directed The Little Hours, which was nominated as the Audience Award winner at the 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival. It was released in cinemas. Baena will co-write, direct, and produce Horse Girl in 2020. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2020 and was then released on Netflix. He wrote, produced, and directed Spin Me Round, which premiered at South by Southwest Film Festival in 2022. It was released by IFC Films.
Baena is a television creator, writer, director and executive producer who created, wrote, produced, and directed the Showtime series Cinema Toast.
Baena’s wife Aubrey Plaza is still alive, as are his mother Barbara Stern and stepfather Roger Stern. His father Scott Baena has also survived, along with stepmother Michele Baena. He leaves behind a brother Brad Baena.
The family asks that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.
