H. Paul Moon is a renowned filmmaker based in the vibrant cities of New York City and Washington, D.C., with a distinct focus on the captivating world of performing arts. His impressive body of work includes the critically acclaimed documentary "Sitka: A Piano Documentary," which delves into the meticulous craftsmanship of Steinway pianos, as well as the thought-provoking "Quartet for the End of Time," which explores the transcendent WWII composition of Olivier Messiaen.
One of his most notable projects is an acclaimed feature film about the life and music of American composer Samuel Barber, which premiered on PBS to widespread acclaim. Moon's versatility as a filmmaker is also evident in his work as cinematographer/camera operator/colorist for director Josephine Decker's "First Day Out" in the anthology film "collective:unconscious." This ambitious project received glowing reviews from prominent publications such as Rolling Stone, Austin Chronicle, New Yorker, and Slant Magazine, with many praising the "Malick-esque portrait," "Lubezki-level single-shot photography," "ecstatically onrushing continuous takes," and "intricate and exhilarating tracking shots" with "explosively colorful cinematography."
Moon's operatic adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," titled "The Passion of Scrooge," was awarded "Critic's Choice" by Opera News for its "thoroughly enjoyable film version, insightfully conceived and directed" with "first-rate and remarkably illustrative storytelling." The Dickensian praised the film as "a beguiling formal experiment to bring Dickens' classic into contemporary and personal relevance" and "a distinctive addition to the long history of Carol adaptations." This notable work was also the inaugural title of "Opera Philadelphia Channel Presents" in 2022.
In addition to his work in film, Moon has created music videos for numerous composers, including Moondog, Susan Botti, and Angélica Negrón. He has also produced three opera films set in a community garden and is currently working on several new projects, including a documentary feature about Western poetry and further additions to his project "Whitman on Film," which sets poems by Bob Holman to music.
Throughout his career, Moon's films have been screened to live audiences at over two hundred film festivals around the world, earning numerous awards and museum exhibitions. Highlights of his impressive career include works featured in exhibitions at the Nevada Museum of Art and the City Museum of New York, PBS television broadcasts, and best of show awards in over a dozen international film festivals.
