
Directing
Don Hertzfeldt
Born
1976-08-01 (50)
Place of birth
Fremont, California, USA
Known for
Directing
Credits
53 titles
Don Hertzfeldt is a two-time Academy Award nominee whose animated films include "It's Such a Beautiful Day", the "World of Tomorrow" series, "Paper Trail", "ME", "The Meaning of Life", "On Memory", "Billy's Balloon", and "Rejected". His work has played around the world, received hundreds of awards, and in 2014 made a special appearance on "The Simpsons". 2020, GQ Magazine described his work as "simultaneously tragic and hilarious and philosophical and crude and deeply sad and fatalist and yet stubbornly, resolutely hopeful." The Austrian Film Museum has described his work as "films of a sort that never really existed before."
Known for
8.0Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.
The Simpsons
1989
7.9Bill struggles to put together his shattered psyche.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2012
7.9Emily Prime is swept into the brain of an incomplete backup clone of her future self.
World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People's Thoughts
2017
6.4Rod and Cherri are the unmistakable king and queen of Echo High. When new kid Spud arrives, he makes a faux pas so bad that Rod forces him to be his girl's slave. What unfolds is the tale of Cherri and Spud's blossoming relationship behind Rod's back, and their untimely demise on the night of the prom. A tale of tragedy that could only be as irreverent and sensational through the pen (or pencils, if you will) of Bill Plympton.
Hair High
2004
7.7A life, seen through paper.
Paper Trail
2026
8.3A hidden memory sends David across the far reaches of time and space to solve a deadly mystery involving his time-traveling future selves.
World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime
2020
Film credits
2010s · 5 titles
7.9Bill struggles to put together his shattered psyche.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2012
7.8Dark and troubling events force Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2011
NRRichard Linklater's SLACKER inspired a generation of American filmmakers by exploring the subculture of Austin, Texas in a loose narrative with a tapestry of quirky characters. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of that iconic movie, 24 of Austin's top filmmakers banded together to update SLACKER with their own perspectives on the city.
Slacker 2011
2011
6.8Nigel does his best to help with his friend's simple request.
Wisdom Teeth
2010
6.4Don Hertzfeldt introduces his new film from the dark underground caverns of a strange planet.
Intro
2017
2000s · 6 titles
6.4Rod and Cherri are the unmistakable king and queen of Echo High. When new kid Spud arrives, he makes a faux pas so bad that Rod forces him to be his girl's slave. What unfolds is the tale of Cherri and Spud's blossoming relationship behind Rod's back, and their untimely demise on the night of the prom. A tale of tragedy that could only be as irreverent and sensational through the pen (or pencils, if you will) of Bill Plympton.
Hair High
2004
6.8A sprawling look at the evolution of humankind, over the course of a billion years.
The Meaning of Life
2005
7.3In the spring of 1999, the Family Learning Channel commissioned animator Don Hertzfeldt to produce promotional segments for their network. The cartoons were completed in five weeks. The Family Learning Channel rejected all of them upon review, and they were never aired...
Rejected
2000
7.6A series of dark and troubling events forces Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life… or lack thereof.
Everything Will Be OK
2006
7.5Dark shadows are cast over Bill's recovery.
I Am So Proud of You
2008
6.9A "trilogy" of surreal and funny cartoons, produced exclusively to book-end the first year of The Animation Show's travelling theatrical tour.
The Animation Show / Intermission in the Third Dimension / The End of the Show
2003
Series credits
Behind the camera
7.9Bill struggles to put together his shattered psyche.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2012
7.9Bill struggles to put together his shattered psyche.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2012
7.9Bill struggles to put together his shattered psyche.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2012
7.9Emily Prime is swept into the brain of an incomplete backup clone of her future self.
World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People's Thoughts
2017
7.9Emily Prime is swept into the brain of an incomplete backup clone of her future self.
World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People's Thoughts
2017
7.9Emily Prime is swept into the brain of an incomplete backup clone of her future self.
World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People's Thoughts
2017
7.7A life, seen through paper.
Paper Trail
2026
7.7A life, seen through paper.
Paper Trail
2026
7.7A life, seen through paper.
Paper Trail
2026
8.3A hidden memory sends David across the far reaches of time and space to solve a deadly mystery involving his time-traveling future selves.
World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime
2020
8.3A hidden memory sends David across the far reaches of time and space to solve a deadly mystery involving his time-traveling future selves.
World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime
2020
8.3A hidden memory sends David across the far reaches of time and space to solve a deadly mystery involving his time-traveling future selves.
World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime
2020
7.8A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future.
World of Tomorrow
2015
7.8A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future.
World of Tomorrow
2015
7.8A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future.
World of Tomorrow
2015
6.8A sprawling look at the evolution of humankind, over the course of a billion years.
The Meaning of Life
2005
6.8A sprawling look at the evolution of humankind, over the course of a billion years.
The Meaning of Life
2005
6.8A sprawling look at the evolution of humankind, over the course of a billion years.
The Meaning of Life
2005
7.9A musical odyssey about generational trauma and the retreat of humanity into itself.
ME
2024
7.9A musical odyssey about generational trauma and the retreat of humanity into itself.
ME
2024
7.9A musical odyssey about generational trauma and the retreat of humanity into itself.
ME
2024
7.3In the spring of 1999, the Family Learning Channel commissioned animator Don Hertzfeldt to produce promotional segments for their network. The cartoons were completed in five weeks. The Family Learning Channel rejected all of them upon review, and they were never aired...
Rejected
2000
7.3In the spring of 1999, the Family Learning Channel commissioned animator Don Hertzfeldt to produce promotional segments for their network. The cartoons were completed in five weeks. The Family Learning Channel rejected all of them upon review, and they were never aired...
Rejected
2000
7.3In the spring of 1999, the Family Learning Channel commissioned animator Don Hertzfeldt to produce promotional segments for their network. The cartoons were completed in five weeks. The Family Learning Channel rejected all of them upon review, and they were never aired...
Rejected
2000
7.6A series of dark and troubling events forces Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life… or lack thereof.
Everything Will Be OK
2006
7.6A series of dark and troubling events forces Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life… or lack thereof.
Everything Will Be OK
2006
7.6A series of dark and troubling events forces Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life… or lack thereof.
Everything Will Be OK
2006
7.5Dark shadows are cast over Bill's recovery.
I Am So Proud of You
2008
7.5Dark shadows are cast over Bill's recovery.
I Am So Proud of You
2008
7.5Dark shadows are cast over Bill's recovery.
I Am So Proud of You
2008
The third installment of Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt's traveling animation anthology including 17 such as "Everything Will Be OK", "Game Over", "Guide Dog", and "Davey and Son of Goliath".
The Animation Show, Volume 3
2007
7.8Dark and troubling events force Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2011
7.8Dark and troubling events force Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2011
7.8Dark and troubling events force Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life.
It's Such a Beautiful Day
2011
7.9A collection of the best short, animated films from across the world curated by Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt. This collection contains the shorts: Welcome to the Show - by Don Hertzfeldt, Mt Head (Atama Yama) - by Koji Yamamura, Brother - by Adam Elliot, Parking - by Bill Plympton, The Adventures of Ricardo - by Corky Quakenbush, Moving Illustrations of Machines - by Jeremy Solterbeck, La Course A L'Abime - by Georges Schwizgebel, Billy's Balloon - by Don Hertzfeldt, Cousin - by Adam Elliot, Cathedral (Katedra) - by Tomek Baginski, Intermission in the 3rd Dimension - by Don Hertzfeldt, Fifty Percent Grey - by Ruari Robinson, Uncle - by Adam Elliot, Early Pencil Tests and Other Experiments - by Mike Judge, Aria - by Pjotr Sapegin, Bathtime in Clerkenwell - by Aleksy Budovski, The Rocks (Das Rad) - by Chris Stenner and Heidi Wittlinger, The End of the Show - by Don Hertzfeldt
The Animation Show, Volume 1
2003
6.4A boy and his balloon.
Billy's Balloon
1998
6.4A boy and his balloon.
Billy's Balloon
1998
6.4A boy and his balloon.
Billy's Balloon
1998
NRA collection of extraordinary animated short films from around the world, curated by Don Hertzfeldt. Released exclusively to movie theaters to support independent animators, the program includes “Martyr’s Guidebook”, “Zoon”, “The Hill Farm”, “I Am Alone and My Head is On Fire”, “Wednesday with Goddard”, “Jesus 2”, “The Big Snit”, “Untitled Line Drawings” (never-before-seen work by Bruce Bickford), and more.
Animation Mixtape
2025
NRA collection of extraordinary animated short films from around the world, curated by Don Hertzfeldt. Released exclusively to movie theaters to support independent animators, the program includes “Martyr’s Guidebook”, “Zoon”, “The Hill Farm”, “I Am Alone and My Head is On Fire”, “Wednesday with Goddard”, “Jesus 2”, “The Big Snit”, “Untitled Line Drawings” (never-before-seen work by Bruce Bickford), and more.
Animation Mixtape
2025

