Filmmaker Crystal Moselle has joined The Directors Bureau for representation in the U.S. spanning commercials and music videos. Moselle, whose storytelling aesthetic stylishly melds realism and lifestyle, is known for her debut documentary and Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winner, The Wolfpack (2015), along with her branded scripted short for Mui Mui, That One Day (2017) which debuted at the Venice Film Festival and inspired her Gotham Award-winning scripted feature, Skate Kitchen (2018) and HBO series Betty (2019-2021). Moselle has also directed many acclaimed commercials for brands such as H&M, Kate Spade, WhatsApp, VRBO, New York Times Magazine, Samsung and Water.org, to note just a few.
Moselle’s latest film is the indie feature The Black Sea, co-directed with rapper/art curator Derrick B. Harden who also stars as the magnetic Khalid. The Black Sea premiered to rave reviews earlier this year at SXSW. It is a largely improvisational story based on events in Harden’s own life, featuring Khalid as a former Brooklyn barista in need of a fresh start. He’s lured to a small seaside town in Bulgaria by a woman he meets on Facebook who dies before he gets there.
Moselle describes the creative collaboration with Harden as a “great dynamic, one where he knows how to throw things way out of the box. And I know what to do to make it work on screen.” The Austin Chronicle praised The Black Sea, writing, “it raises questions about the difference between a tourist, refugee and immigrant, and explores how sometimes you have to travel a long physical distance to find what’s always been inside yourself.” Metrograph Pictures will distribute the film in theaters this Fall.
“Crystal is a welcomed addition to The Directors Bureau,” said Roman Coppola, director/owner of The Directors Bureau. “She’s emblematic of the type of filmmakers and creatives that are the heart of the company: voices that are thriving in many different formats of storytelling be it film, TV, advertising, as well as other art forms. Crystal is tapped into the zeitgeist of culture and brings a fresh point of view to the roster.”
“I have been a fan of The Directors Bureau since early in my career when I shared my reel with their rep Michael Arkin who made my day when he took the time to call me and offer up encouragement because he saw something special in my work,” Moselle said. “After The Black Sea, things came full circle. I love the work of the Bureau’s roster of filmmakers and their obvious commitment to indie film, something that carries over to a more cinematic approach to commercials and music videos. It aligns perfectly with the work I like to do.”
A throughline of Moselle’s scripted work is grounded performance, something she attributes to “giving talent room to go off page so that their lines make sense to them.” Also distinctive are her consistently street-chic style and lush look and feel to her film which reflect an understanding of and attention to cinematography and grade. Moselle’s eye, said her The Black Sea creative collaborator Harden, is what “takes her work beyond the traditional commercial space.”
“I’m interested in stepping outside of the flat screen of a commercial to include more holistic work or ‘event-tising,’” Moselle added. “Whether it’s documentary or scripted, I want to tell the right version of the story–for television, online, live events–with brands and agencies. The Directors Bureau is a great partner for this.”
Moselle joins The Directors Bureau from Somesuch, which continues to represent her in the U.K.
