After earning an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Dax Phelan served as the Creative Executive for producer Mace Neufeld (“The Hunt for Red October”) at Sony Pictures where he worked on numerous films, including blockbusters such as “The General’s Daughter,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and “The Equalizer.”
After selling a screenplay of his own, Phelan left Sony to write full-time. He co-created the TV series, “At Your Service,” for producer David Engel (“Straight Outta Compton”) and CBS/Paramount and adapted the New York Times bestseller, “In the Sanctuary of Outcasts,” for producer Stratton Leopold (“Mission: Impossible III”).
Phelan served as Associate Producer on Paul Schrader’s “The Canyons” starring Lindsay Lohan and Executive Producer on Anja Marquardt’s “She’s Lost Control,” which was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards.
In 2015, Phelan wrote, produced, and directed his feature directorial debut, “Jasmine.” Shot in Hong Kong, the film played in 75 film festivals worldwide and won nearly 100 awards, including 18 for Best Picture, 10 for Best Director, and 5 for Best Screenplay. The film was acquired by Lionsgate and released theatrically on June 16, 2017.
On August 16, 2018, Phelan was included in the LA Film Awards’ list of “Thirty Filmmakers to Watch,” a celebration of the “inspiring, creative, and incredibly talented directors who are making indie filmmaking great right now.”
Following “Jasmine,” Phelan co-produced Orson Welles’s final film, “The Other Side of the Wind,” with Frank Marshall (“Jurassic World”). The film had its world premiere at the 75th Venice Film Festival where it opened to strong reviews and was released theatrically by Netflix on November 2, 2018. The National Board of Review honored the film with the prestigious and rarely given William K. Everson Film History Award.
In 2019, Phelan executive produced “Flowers of the Field” with Lodge Kerrigan (“The Girlfriend Experience”) and “About Him & Her: The Inarticulate Speech of the Heart,” both of which will world premiere in the latter half of 2020.
In Spring 2020, Phelan wrote, produced, and directed the 30-second PSA, "Final Moments," about the importance of wearing masks in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. The spot was honored with over a dozen awards internationally.
Phelan is currently preparing to return to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri to direct his sophomore feature film, “Kirkwood,” in fall 2020. Phelan conceived the story with his father, a former City of St. Louis policeman.
Phelan is a proud member of the Producers Guild of America and repped by Danny Passman at Gang, Tyre, Ramer, & Brown.
  • Writer (4 Credits)
    CHARLIE TWO SHOES
    Screenplay
    THE JOURNEYMAN
    Screenplay
    FINAL MOMENTS2020
    Short, Web / New Media, Other
    JASMINE2017
    Feature
  • Director (2 Credits)
    FINAL MOMENTS2020
    Short, Web / New Media, Other
    JASMINE2017
    Feature
  • Producer (1 Credit)
    JASMINE2017
    Feature
Best Narrative Feature
JASMINE
Trenton Film Festival
Trenton, New Jersey
2017
Best Feature (over EUR 100K)
JASMINE
Berlin Independent Film Festival
Berlin
2017
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Design (Honorable Mention)
JASMINE
LA Film Awards
Los Angeles, California
2017
Grand Festival Award - Feature
JASMINE
Berkeley Film Festival
Berkeley, California
2016
Best Editing
JASMINE
Cyprus International Film Festival
Pafos
2016
Best International Feature, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress
JASMINE
Glendale International Film Festival
Los Angeles, California
2016
Best Narrative Feature, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Sound Design
JASMINE
Los Angeles Independent Film Festival
Los Angeles, California
2016
Best Thriller, Best Actor, Best Screenplay
JASMINE
Chautauqua International Film Festival
Jamestown, New York
2016
Best Narrative Feature
JASMINE
Macon Film Festival
Macon, Georgia
2016
Best Director
JASMINE
Mexico International Film Festival
Mexico City, Mexico
2016
Best Narrative Feature (Nomination)
JASMINE
CAAMFest
San Francisco, California
2016
Best Director
JASMINE
Pasadena International Film Festival
Pasadena, California
2016
Best Narrative Feature: Honorable Mention
JASMINE
Anchorage International Film Festival
Anchorage, Alaska
2015
Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature, Best Actor in a Drama, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound Design
JASMINE
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Los Angeles, California
2015
College
The American Film Institute
MFA in Screenwriting
19982000
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