LLOYD KAUFMAN

An American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, legend, and incorrigible prankster. He was born in 1945 in New York City, though his mind seems to come from another dimension – otherwise, it’s hard to explain the mad mission he undertook in 1974. That’s when, together with his Yale college friend Michael Herz, he founded Troma – a studio specializing in films so bizarrely bad that, by traditional aesthetic standards, they should never have existed. As Kaufman himself recalls of those early days: “In the dorm, I ended up rooming with two cinema fanatics, and my life was irreversibly changed.”

While still studying Sinology, he directed two student films with friends – “The Girl Who Returned” and “Rappaccini.” He also appeared in small roles in Hollywood productions (he’s the guy who picks up Rocky Balboa off the street in the first “Rocky” film!) but quickly realized that mainstream cinema wasn’t his world. Instead, he decided to devote himself entirely to “fixing” it – or rather, gleefully breaking it.

Kaufman’s most recognizable work is “The Toxic Avenger” (1985) – the quintessential example of Troma’s “zero style.” An absurd premise, dark humor, amateur acting, and a wildly creative use of literally anything as special effects (including spaghetti as intestines) – all made on a budget so low it wouldn’t even cover a small-town wedding today – this is the Troma signature.

Off-screen, Kaufman is an avid lover of bow ties, literature, and musicals. And while his films are often watched with a sense of irony, his influence on cinema is undeniable – without him, James Gunn, Quentin Tarantino, or Peter Jackson would certainly exist, but they’d all be a little less “broken” in the best possible way.

Q&A guest after “Occupy Cannes!” screening

Will give a masterclass after “Occupy Cannes!” screening