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 and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper h ...

. 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 refound ...

. He joined PolyGram 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 ...

(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. 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 ...

(CBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours 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'' (1987) * '' The Blue Iguana'' (1988) * '' Kill Me Again'' (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 ...

'' (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, S ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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 t ...

'' (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 c ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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. ...

'' (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