Justin Kuritzkes
Writing
Biography
Justin Kuritzkes (born May 5, 1990) is an American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter best known for writing the scripts for two of Luca Guadagnino's films, Challengers and Queer. He has also been the subject of media coverage because of his activities on YouTube, such as the 2011 video "Potion Seller". Kuritzkes was born into a Jewish family and raised in Los Angeles, California. His father is a gastroenterologist, and his mother practises real estate law. In 2008, Kuritzkes graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. Kuritzkes attended Brown University, where he studied philosophy and literary arts. At Brown, Kuritzkes studied with playwrights Gregory Moss, Lisa D'Amour, and Erik Ehn, participated in a Production Workshop, and was involved in local protests affiliated with the Occupy movement. Kuritzkes graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2012. Kuritzkes's one-act play An Autobiography of my Brother, first written for the 2008 Harvard-Westlake Playwrights Festival, was among the works honoured at the 2010 Young Playwrights Competition. Beginning at Brown University, Kuritzkes uploaded videos recorded using the Photo Booth application to YouTube. The most famous of these videos, Potion Seller, went viral online and inspired parodies in publications including The New Yorker. Kuritzkes received a MacDowell Fellowship in both 2012 and 2016. In 2016, his play The Sensuality Party toured the university circuit of New York state. He released the novel Famous People in 2019. In 2021, Kuritzkes's spec script Challengers was featured in the annual edition of The Black List, which was then adapted into a feature film by Luca Guadagnino. Ahead of the film's release, he was named one of the top 10 screenwriters to watch in 2023 by Variety. He also adapted William S. Burroughs' 1985 novel Queer for a film directed by Guadagnino. In April 2024, Variety reported that Kuritzkes would write the screen adaptation of the Don Winslow novel City on Fire, set to star Austin Butler. In June 2024, he was announced to be developing an untitled film with Jude Law, reportedly inspired by the works of Mike Nichols. In November 2024, it was announced he had penned a feature film based on the DC character Sgt. Rock, which would reunite him with Queer collaborators Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig. Kuritzkes has been married to filmmaker Celine Song since June 11, 2016. They live together in New York City. Description above from the Wikipedia article Justin Kuritzkes, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Tennis player turned coach Tashi has taken her husband, Art, and transformed him into a world-famous Major champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she signs him up for a "Challenger" event — close to the lowest level of pro tournament — where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi's former boyfriend.
Challengers
A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.
Materialists
In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.
Queer
A modern-day Helen of Troy event tears the two criminal empires — one Irish, the other Italian — that control all of New England apart and starts a brutal war. Danny Ryan is forced to grow from a street soldier into a ruthless leader to protect his friends, his family and the home he loves. Fighting the Mafia, the local cops and the feds, Danny intends to build a dynasty or die trying.
City on Fire
WWII American sergeant Franklin John 'Frank' Rock teams with up with a female French Resistance fighter to find the mystical Spear of Destiny, the spear used to stab Jesus Christ during his crucifixion and is said to have supernatural properties, before the Nazis get their hands on it.
Sgt. Rock
Documentary on how Luca Guadagnino's 2024 film Queer was made, featuring interviews with the cast and crew.