Peter Sollett
Peter Sollett (born February 9, 1976) is an American film director and screenwriter recognized for transitioning from independent cinema to broader commercial projects, including the coming-of-age drama Raising Victor Vargas (2002) and the youth-oriented romantic comedy Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008).[1][2]
Sollett studied film at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where his senior thesis short Five Feet High and Rising (2000) earned the Best Short Film Prize at both the Sundance Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival's Cinéfondation section.[3][4]
Expanding that short into his narrative feature debut Raising Victor Vargas, Sollett captured authentic stories of Dominican-American youth in New York City's Lower East Side, securing nominations including the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes and the Grand Special Prize at the Deauville American Film Festival.[5][6]
Subsequent works encompass the biographical drama Freeheld (2015) addressing partnership rights and the heavy metal comedy Metal Lords (2022) for Netflix, alongside television episodes for series such as Peacemaker (2022), Your Honor (2020), and House of Lies (2012–2016).[7][1]
Currently serving on the faculty of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Sollett has influenced emerging filmmakers through his practical experience in narrative storytelling and character-driven projects.[3]