Independent Spirit and NAACP Image Award nominated filmmaker David Midell's professional journey began in Chicago, where he worked as a therapist for children and adults with disabilities, drawing inspiration from his own experiences on the autism spectrum. As a result, his work tackles important questions about how society treats its most vulnerable citizens, including those with disabilities and mental health challenges.
David's feature film debut, NightLights, premiered in theaters in 2014, subsequently making its network television debut on the Lifetime Movie Network in 2015. The film, which follows the journey of a sister and brother with autism, won numerous awards, including a Prism Award from the Entertainment Industries Council. Prior to NightLights, David worked on The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, a true-story-based film that explores the events surrounding the death of an elderly African American former marine with bipolar disorder, who was killed during a conflict with police officers in his home. The film boasts an impressive cast, including Tony Award nominee Frankie Faison, Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose, and is executive produced by Lori McCreary, Gary Lucchesi, and Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman of Revelations Entertainment.
The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain received widespread critical acclaim, appearing on nearly two dozen critics' yearly top ten lists. Frankie Faison, the film's lead actor, won a Gotham Award for OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE, while the film received multiple Independent Spirit Awards and an NAACP Image Award nomination.
David's upcoming film, The Ritual, tells the true story of one of the most highly publicized and well-documented exorcisms in American history. The film features an all-star cast, including academy award winner Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Patricia Heaton, Patrick Fabian, Ashley Greene, and Abigail Cowen, and is set to be released in summer 2025.
