Daniel J. Chalfen

Founder & Producer

Daniel Chalfen has been a nonfiction film producer for more than a decade, and in 2009 co-founded Naked Edge Films.  His credits include the award-winning feature documentaries “War Don Don,” “Budrus,” “Meeting Resistance,” “Encounter Point,” “39 Pounds of Love” and “Pulled From the Rubble.”  His forthcoming films “Pretty Old” and “GONE” are due for release in 2011.  Daniel produced the highly acclaimed documentary television series “Ordinary People,” created the ARTE-produced television series “Happy France,” and has consulted on programming as diverse as “The West Wing” and “A Shadowed Gaze” (featuring Willy Holt and Roman Polanski).  He has also produced content for NGOs (including Ability, Habitat for Humanity and the Natural Resources Defense Council), and online videos (including for georgesoros.com and amandacongdon.com).

Daniel’s films have screened at festivals across the globe, have been theatrically released and broadcast worldwide (including on Al Arabiyya, Al Jazeera, ARTE, Canal Plus, CBC, HBO, and ZDF) and have been featured on some of the world’s leading networks, including ABC, BBC, CNN and PBS.

Daniel endeavors to combine his filmmaking with political and social action.  His films have been screened at the United Nations (New York); the UNHCR Headquarters (Geneva); the Royal College of Defense Studies (London), the War Crimes Tribunal (The Hague); the United States Institute of Peace (Washington, DC); for governments, military organizations, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and on university campuses across the U.S.  He also lectures about making films that can make a difference.

Daniel has also worked in positions including Producer, Line Producer, Location Producer and Production Manager on travel series, behind-the-scenes shows, and news and current affairs programs.

Daniel is a founder of the Cine-Peace Film Festival, Los Angeles; an Advisory Committee Member of the Other Israel Film Festival, NY; and a voting member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).  He has also consulted on development, media and outreach for many international NGOs and nonprofits, including the Spirit of Youth Foundation, the Center for Jewish Arab Economic Development, Parents’ Circle (The Association of Bereaved Parents in the Middle East), the Southern California Israel Chamber of Commerce, and Creativity for Peace.

Daniel is a graduate of UCLA’s School of Cinema, Television, and Theater, Los Angeles, (Professional Certificate in Producing); the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (MA Israeli Politics and Society); and the University of Leeds, England (BA (Honours) Politics and Religious Studies).  Daniel is based in New York City.