David Gleeson

Born to a family of Irish cinema-owners who opened their first theater in 1942, David Gleeson grew up steeped in all things celluloid. Following a colorful and varied path, including a 5-year stint in oil exploration deep inside the Arctic Circle, Gleeson made his feature film debut as a writer/director with 2003's 'Cowboys & Angels'.

A youth comedy/drama set in his native Limerick (Ireland), 'Cowboys & Angels' was released in cinemas by Buena Vista International (Disney). The film won eight international film awards including Best Screenplay at Newport Beach (U.S.) and two Gold Medal Awards at Giffoni (Italy). The New York Times commented, [the film] 'offers a fresh mix of open-minded intelligence and a heartfelt point of view,' while The Chicago Tribune commented, 'Stack "Cowboys" against most of the fare American studios offer young adults and it's meatier by far'.

Gleeson's next film which he also wrote and directed, the crime drama 'The Front Line', was released in cinemas in 2006 also through Buena Vista Intl. Variety (magazine) called it; 'A satisfying blend of crime drama and geopolitical think piece about a Congolese refugee in Dublin, [The Front Line] sustains high levels of suspense while delivering an emotional wallop.' The Sunday Independent (Ireland) wrote; 'Gleeson has delivered a terrific film that reminds us what big screens were made for and it deserves to be a smash.'