XX: Where Your Heart Should Be

Born on November 11, 1966 in the town of Bangor, Maine, he studied film at the American Film Institute and the Rhode Island School of Design and directing at Brown University.

After a string of widely screened and praised short films he shot his first feature film, Frisk (Sundance, Berlin, Toronto ’96) a hyper-controversial adaptation of the novel of the same name. Featuring PXL vision, video, and super 8, the film assaulted audiences. Praised and reviled, it more importantly proved that Verow was an original voice that could not be ignored.

In 1997, Verow shifted creative gears. It was while searching for a more intimate film language with his new improvisational acting troupe that he happened to experiment with digital video technology. This led to the award winning films of his Addiction Trilogy; Little Shots of Happiness (Berlin 97, SXSW 97, Mill Valley ’97), Shucking the Curve (SF IndieFest 99, No Dance ’99.) and The Trouble with Perpetual Déjà vu (Singapore ’99, Chicago Underground ‘99, Vancouver International 99) Verow and producing/writing partner James Derek Dwyer created Bangor Films, a film company to support their prolific film output, (Verow vowed ten features by the year 2000.)

Time Magazine, Variety, Wired, Filmmaker Magazine and the Independent have all featured Verow and his championing of low cost, quality DV filmmaking. Lectures at Sundance, M.I.T. and Wellesley have proven the interest in DV and Digital Verite filmmaking and solidified Verow’s reputation as a truly independent digital director and the leader of one of the most exciting film scenes this side of the Atlantic. He was named one of the first ever Digital Directors To Watch by Variety for 2000 and was profiled with Dwyer on CBS 48 HOURS.

His films A Sudden Loss of Gravity (Berlin 2000, Mill Valley 2000, Singapore 2001) and Once and Future Queen (Locarno 2000, Los Angeles Film Festival 2001, Dallas Video Fest 2001) screened worldwide in some of the farthest flung film festivals including South Korea and India.

The Berlin-lensed Take Away was awarded the 2002 Chicago Underground Film Fund Grant where it also world premiered. His Anonymous, (in which he also stars,) world premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2004 to sold out screenings, controversy and acclaim. It had a limited theatrical release and a deluxe DVD was issued in the Fall of 2004.

Verow’s twisted Anti-Bush/Dangerous Liasons political drama, Bulldog in the White House won the Best Film Prize at the Chicago Underground Film Festival.

His most autobiographical pic to-date, Vacationland greeted the world with a multi-city film fest tour, a limited domestic and international theatrical engagement and a DVD release on Water Bearer Films in October 2007.

His experimental feature, Hooks to the Left, was shot solely on a Nokia cellphone and received glowing reviews. It screened at the 2007 Los Angeles Outfest.

Between Something and Nothing completed an award-winning festival run and has been released on DVD by Waterbearer Films in the United States, Optimale in France and Salzgeber in Germany.

His adaptation of James Derek Dwyer’s novel, The Boy with the Sun in His Eyes was shot in four countries and world premiered at the New York Newfest.

He has recently completed his latest features, Deleted Scenes and The Final Girl. –Bangor Films