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Michael Maren

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Michael Maren
Born
Michael Maren

(1955-11-15) November 15, 1955 (age 68)
Andover, Massachusetts
EducationColumbia University
(School of International and Public Affairs)
Occupations
Years active1990–present
SpouseDani Shapiro
Children1
Websitemichaelmaren.com/michael-maren

Michael Maren (born November 15, 1955)[1] is an American journalist, screenwriter, and director.

He spent seventeen years as a foreign correspondent based in Africa, writing for magazines like The Village Voice,[2] Newsweek,[3] The New Republic,[4] Harper's,[5] GQ,[6] and The New York Times.[7]

In 2012, he wrote and directed his first feature film, the award-winning A Short History of Decay. His latest feature film, A Little White Lie, was released in March 2023.

Early life and education

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Maren grew up in Andover, Massachusetts and graduated from Northfield Mt. Hermon in 1973. As an undergraduate he attended Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. In 1984, Maren earned his master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.[8]

Career

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Aid work

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Maren joined the Peace Corps in 1977 and served for two years teaching English and Physics at a secondary school in rural Kenya.[9][10] He remained in Kenya, running the food-for-work program with the Catholic Relief Services; later he worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Somalia, serving as a food assessment specialist on the Somali border with Ethiopia.[11]

Journalistic writing

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During his time at Columbia, Maren worked for Africa Report Magazine as a contributing editor.[12] Later, he went on to publish articles in The Nation, The New York Times, Harper's, The Village Voice, and other publications. Much of this work centered on war and famine and the culpability of aid organizations (Private Voluntary Organizations, or PVOs); he wrote in Harper's Magazine:

Because reporters are as dependent on aid organizations as the organizations are on them. It would have been impossible, for example, for the press to cover Somalia without the assistance of PVOs. There's no Hertz counter at the Mogadishu airport, and no road maps available at gas stations. If a journalist arrives in Africa from Europe or the United States and needs to get to the interior of the country, PVOs are the only ticket. journalists sleep and eat with PVO workers. When they want history and facts and figures, they turn to the PVOs.[13]

Maren chronicled his experiences abroad in his book, The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity, published in 1997 by The Free Press.[14] The book was called "the seminal critique of foreign aid" by The New Yorker.[15]

Screenwriting

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Maren began working as a screenwriter in 1999 and wrote scripts for HBO, Sony Pictures, and several independent producers. He has taught screenwriting at Wesleyan University, The Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, and the Taos Writers' Conference.[16]

In 2012, Maren wrote, directed and produced his first feature film, A Short History of Decay, which was described as "a dark comedy about stepping up when your parents are going downhill".[17] It was released theatrically in May 2014.[18] The New York Times called the film "well-observed" and noted its strength in portraying family relationships.[19]

His second feature, A Little White Lie, began production in Los Angeles in February 2020. Filming was temporarily suspended in March due to COVID-19,[20] but resumed in April 2021.[21] The film stars Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Don Johnson, and Zach Braff.[22] It was released March 3, 2023.[23]

In March 2022, he was adapting his wife's Dani Shapiro's memoir, Inheritance, for film.[24]

Personal life

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In 1997, Maren married writer Dani Shapiro.[25] They have a son[26] and reside in Litchfield County, Connecticut.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "Biographical Summaries of Notable Peoples". MyHeritage. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  2. ^ Strobel, Warren (1997). Late-breaking Foreign Policy: The News Media's Influence on Peace Operations. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press. p. 175. ISBN 978-1878379689.
  3. ^ Toulmin, Camilla; Wisner, Ben (2012). Towards a New Map of Africa. Taylor & Francis. p. 150. ISBN 9781136551321.
  4. ^ Brown, Michael E. (1999). The Costs of Conflict: Prevention and Cure in the Global Arena. Oxford, England: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. p. 242. ISBN 978-0847688944.
  5. ^ "Michael Maren". Harper's. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  6. ^ Harer, John (2009). The Alexander Technique Resource Book: A Reference Guide. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 24.
  7. ^ Maren, Michael (December 2, 1999). Using Food As a Weapon. p. 35. ISSN 0362-4331. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  8. ^ "Dani Shapiro, Michael P. Maren". The New York Times. June 8, 1997. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  9. ^ "The Bittersweet Life: Episode 210: Correspondent (with Michael Maren)". TheBittersweetLife.net. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  10. ^ Schleier, Curt (May 12, 2014). "To Somalia and Back Again". The Forward. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  11. ^ ""You are going to think about quitting..." Maren on Aid Work". Michael Matheson Miller. February 7, 2015. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  12. ^ Seidman, Ann (1990). Apartheid, Militarism and the U.S. Southeast. Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press, Inc. p. 50.
  13. ^ "No.1472: Relief Food Workers Dying of Starvation". UT Texas. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  14. ^ Hansch, Steven. "The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid International Charity by Michael Maren". WorldHunger.org. Archived from the original on January 18, 2000. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  15. ^ Gourevitch, Philip (October 4, 2010). "Alms Dealers". The New Yorker. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  16. ^ "Michael Maren". Key West Literary Seminar. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  17. ^ "Michael Maren, Bryan Greenberg, and Linda Lavin: Meet the Filmmaker". Himalaya Podcasts. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  18. ^ "'A Short History of Decay': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . May 16, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  19. ^ Rapold, Nicolas (May 15, 2014). "A Depressed Writer, Distracted by His Ailing Parents". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  20. ^ McNary, Dave (June 25, 2020). "Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Don Johnson, Da'Vine Joy Randolph to Star in Comedy 'Shriver'". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  21. ^ "Kate Hudson Gushes Over Shriver Costar Michael Shannon in First Look at Their Upcoming Comedy". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  22. ^ McNary, Dave (June 25, 2020). "Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Don Johnson, Da'Vine Joy Randolph to Star in Comedy 'Shriver'". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  23. ^ Loria, Keith (October 24, 2022). "Bethlehem author/director couple collaborate on 'Inheritance' movie". CT Insider. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on December 31, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  24. ^ Gillette, Sam (March 28, 2022). "Dani Shapiro Shares Excerpt From Her Upcoming Novel Signal Fires, Her 'Most Personal Book' Yet". People. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  25. ^ "Dani Shapiro, Michael P. Maren". The New York Times. June 8, 1997. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  26. ^ "Dani Shapiro's 'Hourglass' Explores A Marriage Over Time Litchfield County resident and bestselling memoirist Dani Shapiro discusses her latest book, Hourglass". Rural Intelligence. May 9, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  27. ^ Shaw, Dan (October 24, 2013). "Dani Shapiro's Provident Move to the Country". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
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