Biography
Gaylen Ross, born Gail Rosenblum in Indianapolis, Indiana, served as managing editor of the poetry journal Antaeus and Ecco Press from 1975 to 1977. Her acting career spanned a brief four years, highlighted by her notable debut as Francine in George Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978) and her role as Becky Vickers, Leslie Nielsen's unfaithful wife, in the "Something to Tide You Over" segment of the horror anthology Creepshow (1982), directed by Romero and based on Stephen King's work. Over the past twenty years, Ross has established herself as a documentary filmmaker, producing acclaimed and award-winning works aired on PBS, BBC, A&E, The Learning Channel, Channel 4 in the UK, and Israeli networks. Her films have premiered at prestigious international festivals including Berlin, Toronto, Hamptons, Sydney, Haifa, Nyon, Cleveland, Geneva Forum on Human Rights, and the Margaret Mead Film Festival. Dealers Among Dealers (1995) earned a Gold Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival and was honored as "Best of Fest" at Edinburgh. She co-produced and wrote Blood Money: Switzerland's Nazi Gold (1997), which won an Emmy Award. Her 2008 documentary Killing Kasztner, about Jewish rescuer Rezso Kasztner who negotiated with Adolf Eichmann to save thousands during World War II, screened in theaters and festivals across more than 11 countries. It was recognized by the Los Angeles Times as one of 2010’s best documentaries and won Best Documentary at both the Boston and Minneapolis Jewish Film Festivals. Ross’s most recent film, Caris' Peace (2011), chronicles actress Caris Corfman's recovery from short-term memory loss caused by a brain tumor and her triumphant return to the stage, featuring appearances by Kate Burton, Tony Shalhoub, and Lewis Black. Her other documentaries and television projects have explored diverse topics such as cabaret and Broadway star Laurie Beechman in Listen to Her Heart: The Life and Music of Laurie Beechman (2003), bank fraud, gambling in America, and Russian mail-order brides. Additionally, she has directed productions for The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous and the UJA Federations of North America.
11 wins and 1 nominations
