Actor · Director

Don Hertzfeldt

1976

Who they are

Born: 1 August 1976, Fremont, California, USA
Known for: Billy's Balloon, Rejected, Everything Will Be OK

Don Hertzfeldt (born 1976) is an American independent animator known for darkly funny, existential short and feature films made with hand-drawn stick figures and inventive in-camera effects. A two-time Oscar nominee, he is regarded as one of the leading figures in modern independent animation.

Where to start

Billy's Balloon (1998)Log in to add it to the library
Early cult short with a darkly comic premise that helped establish his reputation on the festival circuit.
Rejected (2000)In the library
Absurdist short styled as a collection of rejected commercials; it earned his first Oscar nomination.
Everything Will Be OK (2006)Log in to add it to the library
First chapter of the Bill trilogy, marking his shift toward more personal, emotional storytelling.
It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)In the library
Feature-length compilation of the Bill trilogy, widely seen as his major work.
World of Tomorrow (2015)Full guide
Sci-fi short, his first digitally animated work, which earned his second Oscar nomination.

Their films in the library

Awards

2001 Academy Award nomination, Best Animated Short Film (Rejected)
2016 Academy Award nomination, Best Animated Short Film (World of Tomorrow)
2006 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for short filmmaking (Everything Will Be OK)
2015 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for short filmmaking (World of Tomorrow)

The full list · 23

1995Ah, l'AmourLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1996GenreLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1997Lily and JimLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1998Billy's BalloonLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2000RejectedLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Spoon Guy / Banana / Queen of France (voice)
2003The Animation Show / Intermission in the Third Dimension / The End of the ShowLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Fluffy Thing #2 (voice)
2003The Animation Show, Volume 1Log in to add it to the libraryDirector
2004Hair HighLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Dill (voice)
2005The Meaning of LifeLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as (voice)
2006Everything Will Be OKLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Narrator (voice) · Composer
2008I Am So Proud of YouLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Narrator (voice)
2010Wisdom TeethLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Stanilus (voice)
2011It's Such a Beautiful DayLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Narrator (voice)
2011Slacker 2011Log in to add it to the libraryActor as TV Backpacker
2012It's Such a Beautiful DayLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Narrator (voice)
2015World of TomorrowLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2017World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People's ThoughtsLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2017IntroLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Self (voice)
2020World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David PrimeLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2021On MemoryLog in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Himself (voice)
2024MELog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2025Animation MixtapeLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2026Paper TrailLog in to add it to the libraryDirector

Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.