Tom Luddy

Thomas William Luddy, born on June 4, 1943 in New York City, emerged from a modest upbringing in the suburb of White Plains before relocating to California to attend the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley he pursued English studies while immersing himself in the fervent political activism of the era and quickly gravitated toward the campus’s budding film community. During the 1970s Luddy organized groundbreaking screenings for the Pacific Film Archive, championing foreign cinema and commissioning a series of uniquely designed posters by David Lance Goines to promote each showing. His early involvement in curating and presenting avant‑garde works laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to expanding American audiences’ cinematic horizons. In addition to his curatorial endeavors, Luddy began producing films, often collaborating with the legendary American Zoetrope collective, and even financed Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters on his personal credit card, reflecting both his daring spirit and deep belief in artistic risk‑taking. In 1974, alongside a circle of friends, Luddy co‑founded the Telluride Film Festival, envisioning an intimate, media‑light event that would showcase a blend of classic and contemporary titles without the commercial pressures of larger festivals. Over the ensuing decades he served on prestigious juries at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival, the 38th Berlin International Film Festival, and the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, cementing his reputation as a respected authority in global cinema. His production credits span a diverse array of projects, from Werner Herzog’s Eats His Shoe (associate producer, 1980) to the haunting Barfly and the lush adaptation of The Secret Garden (producer, 1993). Luddy’s personal life was marked by his marriage to Monique Montgomery, and he spent his later years battling Parkinson’s disease, ultimately passing away at his Berkeley home on February 13, 2023, at the age of 79. His legacy endures through the continued vitality of the Telluride Film Festival and the many films he helped bring to life.