Toby Ross is an American film director who has made a significant impact in the film industry, particularly in the genres of gay pornography and cult films. Born in Landsberg am Lech, Germany, to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Ross moved to Israel with his mother and stepfather at the age of eight. He served two years in the Israeli army before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his studies.
Ross began his career in the film industry by making loops, short films shot on silent 8mm or 16mm, which he later used as the basis for his feature films. His early feature films were released under the name Cinema Mirage, and he later started his own production company, Hornbill Films, to release his films on VHS.
In the early 1980s, Ross began making movies on video instead of film, and he has since shifted his focus to making "erotic story movies" rather than hardcore pornography. Despite his success in the underground gay film circles, Ross has struggled to gain recognition in the mainstream film industry.
Ross's films have been featured in various festivals, including the Pop Montreal music festival, where his film "Cruisin' 57" was shown with a live band and received a standing ovation. In 2010, Ross was profiled in the documentary film "Socalled The Movie" as one of the influences of the film's director, Josh Dolgin.
In 2019, Ross moved back to Israel to resume his film career, although he has found that his fame and name recognition in America has not translated to the Israeli public. Despite this, Ross remains a respected figure in the film industry, and his work continues to be celebrated by fans of cult and erotic films.
