Michael Ashton Kuhn (born 1949) is a Kenyan-born
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
film producer based primarily in the United Kingdom.
Career
Kuhn was born in 1949 in
Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi ( ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows throug ...
. At age 13, he traveled to the UK to study at
Dover College
, motto_translation = I cannot refuse the task
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public SchoolIndependent day and boarding
, religion = Church of England
, headmaster = Simon Fisher
, r_head_label =
, r_head ...
and then read law at
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...
. He joined
PolyGram
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
in 1975, and in 1991 he set up the subsidiary
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (formerly known as PolyGram Films and PolyGram Pictures or simply PFE) was a British film studio founded in 1979 which became a European competitor to Hollywood, but was eventually sold to Seagram Company Ltd. in 1 ...
(PFE). In 1999, when PolyGram merged with
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, he went independent and formed the production company
Qwerty Films
Qwerty Films is a British film production company set up by film producer Michael Kuhn in 1999; the name likely comes from the letters that start off most computer keyboards, "Q-W-E-R-T-Y".
Productions
* '' Golda'' (2022)
* ''Florence Foster Je ...
. He published his memoir ''
100 Films and a Funeral'' in 2001. This was later turned into a documentary of the same name, charting the rise and fall of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. In 2002 he was appointed Chair of the
National Film and Television School
The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is a film, television and games school established in 1971 and based at Beaconsfield Studios in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England. It is featured in the 2021 ranking by ''The Hollywood Repor ...
.
Kuhn was appointed
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(CBE) in the
2021 New Year Honours
The 2021 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...
for services to the film industry.
Personal life
Kuhn married his wife Caroline in 1995 and has two sons. One, named George, the other Jacob.
Filmography
* ''
P.I. Private Investigations
''P.I. Private Investigations'' (also known as ''Private Investigations'') is a 1987 crime-thriller film directed by Nigel Dick and starring Clayton Rohner, Ray Sharkey and Paul Le Mat.
Premise
A young architect finds himself being stalked by ...
'' (1987)
* ''
The Blue Iguana
''The Blue Iguana'' is a 1988 American crime film directed by John Lafia and starring Dylan McDermott, Jessica Harper, Pamela Gidley and James Russo. The plot is about a bounty hunter who is blackmailed into stopping the transfer of twenty mill ...
'' (1988)
* ''
Kill Me Again
''Kill Me Again'' is a 1989 American neo-noir Silver, Alain; Ward, Elizabeth; eds. (1992). ''Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style'' (3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press. thriller film directed by John Dahl, an ...
'' (1989)
* ''
Fear, Anxiety & Depression
''Fear, Anxiety and Depression'' is a 1989 American comedy film written and directed by Todd Solondz and starring Solondz, Stanley Tucci and Jill Wisoff.
Production
The film was Solondz's first for a major studio, after his work in film school h ...
'' (1989)
* ''
Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will?'' (1990)
* ''
Wild at Heart'' (1990)
* ''
Ruby
A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sa ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Red Rock West
''Red Rock West'' is a 1993 American neo-noir thriller film directed by John Dahl and starring Nicolas Cage, Lara Flynn Boyle, J. T. Walsh, and Dennis Hopper. It was written by Dahl and his brother Rick, and shot in Montana, Willcox, Arizona, Son ...
'' (1993)
* ''
Being John Malkovich
''Being John Malkovich'' is a 1999 American fantasy comedy film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman, both making their feature film debut. The film stars John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, and Catherine Keener, with John Malkovich as a ...
'' (1999)
* ''
Wondrous Oblivion
''Wondrous Oblivion'' is a 2003 British film directed and written by Paul Morrison and produced by Jonny Persey.
Set in suburban south London in 1960, several themes run through the film, though the main storyline concerns the friendship betwee ...
'' (2003)
* ''
The Order'' (2003)
* ''
Stage Beauty
''Stage Beauty'' is a 2004 romantic period drama directed by Richard Eyre. The screenplay by Jeffrey Hatcher is based on his play ''Compleat Female Stage Beauty'', which was inspired by references to 17th-century actor Edward Kynaston made in th ...
'' (2004)
* ''
Kinsey'' (2004)
* ''
I Heart Huckabees
''I Heart Huckabees'' (stylized as ''I ♥ Huckabees''; also ''I Love Huckabees'') is a 2004 independent black comedy film directed and produced by David O. Russell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jeff Baena.
A self-described "existential co ...
'' (2004)
* ''
The Amateurs
''The Amateurs'', originally called ''The Moguls'', is a 2005 comedy film written and directed by Michael Traeger and starring Jeff Bridges. The story revolves around six friends in a small town in the United States who decide to make a full-len ...
'' (2005)
* ''
Alien Autopsy
The alien autopsy is a 17-minute black-and-white film supposedly depicting a secret medical examination or autopsy of an alien by the United States military.Barton, Steve (September 30, 2010)"Ray Santilli, Gary Shoefield Talk the Real Alien Auto ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Severance
Severance may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Severance'' (film), a 2006 British horror film
* ''Severance'' (novel), a 2018 novel by Ling Ma
*''Severance'', a 2006 short-story collection by Robert Olen Butler
* ''Severance'' (TV series), a ...
'' (2006)
* ''
The Duchess'' (2008)
* ''
The Last Days on Mars
''The Last Days on Mars'' is a 2013 science fiction horror film directed by Ruairí Robinson with a screenplay by Clive Dawson, based on the short story "The Animators" by Sydney J. Bounds. It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at ...
'' (2013)
* ''
Suite Française'' (2014)
* ''
Florence Foster Jenkins
Florence Foster Jenkins (born Narcissa Florence Foster; July 19, 1868 – November 26, 1944) was an American socialite and amateur soprano who became known, and mocked, for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability. S ...
'' (2016)
* ''
Golda'' (2022)
Arms
References
1949 births
Living people
BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award
British film producers
Kenyan emigrants to the United Kingdom
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
{{UK-film-producer-stub