St. Louis Jewish Book Festival: Barry Sonnenfeld

Barry Sonnenfeld
Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother
Sunday, November 1, 7pm
Tickets: $30 (tickets go on sale September 7)
Interviewed by Alan Zweibel

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Barry Sonnenfeld’s philosophy is, “Regret the Past. Fear the Present. Dread the Future.” Told in his unmistakable voice, Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother is a laugh-out-loud memoir. Constantly threatened with suicide by his over-protective mother, disillusioned by the father he worshiped, and abused by a demonic relative, Sonnenfeld somehow went on to become one of Hollywood’s most successful producers and directors. One of his most embarrassing moments occurred when he was a teenager attending his first rock concert. His mom had the PA announcer say, “Barry Sonnenfeld, call your mother.”

Film and television director Barry Sonnenfeld’s outrageous and hilarious memoir, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker traces his idiosyncratic upbringing in New York City, his breaking into film as a cinematographer with the Coen brothers, and his unexpected career as the director behind such huge film franchises as The Addams Family and Men in Black, as well as Get Shorty, “Pushing Daises”, and “A Series of Unfortunate Events.” Before making Men in Black, he considered doing a live-action film version of The Jetsons.

In addition to being an accomplished director in his own right, Mr. Sonnenfeld has worked as a cinematographer with many other well-known directors on their American classics, including with the Coen brothers on Blood Simple, Raising Arizona and Miller’s Crossing; with Danny DeVito on Throw Mama From the Train; with Penny Marshall on Big; and with Rob Reiner on When Harry Met Sally and Misery. 

About the Interviewer:

Interviewer Alan Zweibel is an original “Saturday Night Live” writer whom the New York Times says  has “earned a place in the pantheon of American pop culture.” Alan has won multiple Emmys and awards for his work in television which includes “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” (which he cocreated & produced), “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” His new memoir is called Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier.

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