Jem Cohen

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Jem Cohen (born 1962, Kabul, Afghanistan) is a New York City-based filmmaker known for his blending of media formats (16mm, Super 8, video) and collaborations with music artists.He was born in Afghanistan where his father was working for the U.S. Agency for Information and Development.

Cohen's most well-known work is the 1999 experimental documentary Instrument, a portrait of the D.C.-punk band Fugazi that was ten years in the making. Another popular work is the portrait Benjamin Smoke, a film about the life of the frontman of the Atlanta, Georgia band Smoke, who died of AIDS shortly before the film's completion. Other works of note are his Walter Benjamin-inspired portrait of New York City, Lost Book Found and his short film about the late Elliott Smith, "Lucky Three". Cohen is currently screening his first fictional feature in an installation exhibit called Chain. Others influences include filmmakers, Chris Marker and John Cassavetes.