Fred Berner, American film and television producer and director
Fred Berner (born March 6, 1953) is an American producer and director, best known for producing Maestro, Pollock,[1] and Vanya on 42nd Street, and for directing and producing hundreds of hours of television, including on Law & Order.
Career
Berner and his producing partner Amy Durning first approached the family of conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein for music and life rights in 2008, thus beginning a 15-year journey of research and development, which would eventually result in the Bradley Cooper film Maestro (Netflix, 2023).[2][3]Maestro stars Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper, it was written by Josh Singer and Cooper, and produced by Cooper, Berner, Durning, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese.
For the stage, Berner directed Warren Leight's Sec. 310, Row D, Seats 5 and 6 (2014) and Alan Zweibel's Pine Cone Moment (2013) and Happy (2010) for Summer Shorts at 59E59 Theaters.[8][9]Happy and Sec. 310, Row D, Seats 5 and 6 were also recorded as radio plays for Playing On Air. Berner directed the short film Still Happy, an adaptation of the play, starring Scott Adsit and Arthur French.[10]
Maestro; Golden Globe nomination, Best Motion Picture - Drama (2023);[21] Producers Guild of America Awards nomination, Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures (2023);[22] Academy Awards nomination, Best Picture (2023)[23]
About Us: The Dignity of Children; Emmy nomination "Outstanding Children's Program" (1997)[19]
Hidden in America; Golden Globe nomination (1997)[24]
Without Warning: The James Brady Story; Emmy nomination "Outstanding Made for Television Movie" (1992)[19]