Alan Taylor

Born: 1965
Where: USA

The former history lecturer first attracted critical attention for his debut feature Palookaville.

The story of three men in Jersey City who find themselves out of their depth in get-rich-quick schemes owed its inspiration to short stories by Italian writer Italo Calvino.

It went on to win the Kodak prize for Best First Feature at the Venice Film Festival in 1995.

Taylor's New York University film thesis The Burning Question had got him noticed and Barry Levinson recruited him to direct an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street.

After Palookaville, Taylor worked on TV series including Traders, Sex in the City, The Sopranos and West Wing as well as Six Feet Under.

Back on the big screen, he directed Ian Holm as Napoleon in the playful fantasy The Emperor's New Clothes and the urban comedy Kill The Poor.