Michael Schroeder is a renowned award-winning writer/director celebrated for his visually striking and emotionally resonant filmmaking style, which transports audiences to unexpected realms. His 2007 film, MAN IN THE CHAIR, is a standout example of his unique blend of style and substance, tackling the often-overlooked issue of ageism and neglect in a dramatic and comedic way.
Christopher Plummer's performance as Flash in MAN IN THE CHAIR earned him the accolade of a lifetime, and the film went on to win Best Picture at several prestigious festivals, including Santa Barbara, Stony Brook, Kent, and Heartland Film Festivals. The film also garnered numerous festival honors and nominations at Berlin, Seattle, Palm Beach, AFI-Dallas, MethodFest, and many others.
Rex Reed, renowned film critic for the New York Observer, praised MAN IN THE CHAIR as a "modest but intelligent feel-good movie" with a "spectacular performance" by Christopher Plummer and "wise and deeply affecting writing and direction" from Michael Schroeder. Reed noted that the film stands out in a sea of cynicism and negativity in modern cinema, celebrating the best qualities in people and inspiring audiences to applaud the human race.
With a career spanning over four decades, Michael Schroeder has directed 54 feature films since joining the Directors Guild of America in 1982. His early work as a First Assistant Director included a hundred commercials, music videos, and thirty feature films, including THE BIG EASY and SHY PEOPLE.
Schroeder's keen eye for talent has led to the discovery and casting of notable actors, including Angelina Jolie and Meg Tilly in their first films. As an Action Director, Schroeder has received awards for his work in Hollywood and internationally, including the explosive sequence in THE GLASS CAGE and the white water sequences in DAMNED RIVER, shot on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe.
In 2007, Schroeder founded Elbow Grease Pictures LLC, a production company currently based in Venice, California. Prior to that, he taught Film Directing at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem from 2001 to 2002.
Originally from Idaho, Schroeder has lived in Los Angeles since 1980 and is married to filmmaker Sharon Cingle Schroeder. He is the proud father of four children, Taber, Rachel, Hillary, and Milo, and enjoys spending his free time on the golf course or playing basketball at the Hollywood YMCA.
