Anthony Katagas is one of the most prolific producers working in American independent film. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture for his role in producing "12 Years a Slave," he has produced nearly 35 films in the last twelve years. He has worked with a variety of innovative and award-winning filmmakers, including James Gray, John Hillcoat, Steve McQueen, Andrew Dominik, Paul Haggis, Brad Pitt, John Singleton, Wes Craven, Vadim Perelman, Lasse Hallstrom, Ben Younger, Nanette Burstein, Denys Arcand, and Sofia Coppola.
Along with his Oscar, Katagas' awards include a BAFTA, Golden Globe, Broadcast Critics' Choice Award, Independent Spirit Award and the coveted Darryl F. Zanuck PGA Award for Best Picture. He has had four films nominated for the Palme d'Or and two films nominated for César Awards. Additionally, his films have garnered nominations or awards from the DGA, SAG, National Board of Review, Gotham Awards, New York Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics and appeared on the prestigious AFI list for achievement in film.
In 1999 Katagas started Keep Your Head Productions, geared towards producing independent films in his hometown of New York City. Through Keep Your Head Productions, he has produced films by visionary filmmaker Michael Almereyda: "Happy Here and Now" (IFC Films, 2001), "This So-Called Disaster" (IFC Films, 2002), "William Eggelston in the Real World" (Palm Pictures, 2005) and "Cymbeline" (Benaroya Pictures, 2014). He also produced James Gray's, "The Immigrant" (The Weinstein Company, 2013), which competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Next up for Keep Your Head is James Gray's "The Lost City Of Z."
Katagas' credits include: Ray McKinnon's "Chrystal" (First Look, 2004), Adam Rapp's "Winter Passing" (Focus Features, 2005), Ben Younger's "Prime" (Universal, 2005), Lasse Hallström's "The Hoax" (Miramax, 2006), Vadim Perelman's "The Life Before Her Eyes" (Magnolia Pictures, 2007), James Gray's two Palme d'Or and César-nominated films "We Own the Night" (Columbia Pictures, 2007) and "Two Lovers" (2929 Productions, 2008), Marc Lawrence's "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" (Columbia, 2009), Wes Craven's "My Soul To Take" (Universal, 2010), Paul Haggis' "The Next Three Days" (Lionsgate, 2010) and John Singleton's "Abduction" (Lionsgate, 2011).
Most recently Katagas produced Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly" (The Weinstein Company, 2012) starring Brad Pitt; James Gray's "The Immigrant" (The Weinstein Company, 2013) starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner and Marion Cotillard; Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" (New Regency, 2013) starring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor; Rupert Goold's "True Story" (New Regency, 2014) starring Jonah Hill and James Franco; and Ken Scott's "Unfinished Business" (New Regency, 2014) starring Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson and Sienna Miller.
To be released in 2016, Katagas is producing John Hillcoat's "Triple 9" (Open Road) starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Winslet, Woody Harrelson and Casey Affleck and "Nerve" (Lionsgate), which was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman and stars Dave Franco and Emma Roberts.
Currently, Katagas is in production on his 4th collaboration with James Gray, "The Lost City of Z."
