Michael Dowse


Michael Dowse is a Canadian director.

Life and career

Born in London, Ontario, to Irish parents, he was trained as a film editor. His first full-length movie, FUBAR was shot on a digital camera with a tiny budget, but was selected by the Sundance Film Festival and screened on the prestigious midnight slot, which had launched the revolutionary film The Blair Witch Project. Though it failed to get picked up by any major American theatrical distributors, FUBAR subsequently became a cult hit in Canada. Following the success of FUBAR, Dowse went on to direct the higher-budget British film It's All Gone Pete Tong, the story of a deaf DJ in Ibiza.
Dowse's next production, the 1980s retro comedy Take Me Home Tonight, started shooting in Phoenix, Arizona on the week beginning 19 February 2007, and was released to theaters on March 4, 2011.
Dowse directed The F Word, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, and Adam Driver.
He has also directed Stuber, starring Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, and Iko Uwais. A film about an encounter between an Uber driver and an almost-blind cop.
In 2025, he began filming on The Stunt Driver, a historical fact-based film based on stuntman Ken Carter.
He currently resides in Montreal with his wife and children.

Filmography

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerCreatorNotes
2009The FoundationProduced 1 episode
2016-2017Man Seeking WomanDirected 6 episodes;
Produced 10 episodes
2017PreacherEpisode "Puzzle Piece"
2017Fubar Age of ComputerAlso composed opening theme
2017Future ManEpisodes "Prelude to an Apocalypse" and "A Date with Destiny"

Music videos

YearTitleArtist
1998"Chupacabras"Chixdiggit
2000"Slow Descent into Alcoholism"The New Pornographers
2000"Letter from an Occupant"The New Pornographers
2003"Your Daddy Don't Know"The New Pornographers
2003"The Kid Is Hot Tonight"Chixdiggit
2003"In the Mood"Sloan
2003"FUBAR Is a Super Rocker"Thor
"Diamond Head"The New Pornographers

Awards and nominations

YearNominated workAwardCategoryResult
2003FUBARGenie AwardsBest Achievement in EditingNomitated
2004It's All Gone Pete TongToronto International Film Festival AwardsBest Canadian FilmWon
2005It's All Gone Pete TongGen Art Film Festival AwardsAudience Award - Best FeatureWon
2005It's All Gone Pete TongGen Art Film Festival AwardsBest FeatureWon
2005It's All Gone Pete TongUS Comedy Arts Festival AwardsFilm Discovery Jury Award - Best FeatureWon
2006It's All Gone Pete TongGenie AwardsBest Achievement in DirectionNomitated
2006It's All Gone Pete TongGenie AwardsBest Original ScreenplayNomitated
2010FUBAR 2Toronto International Film Festival AwardsPeople's Choice Award: Midnight MadnessNomitated
2011FUBAR 2SXSW Film Festival AwardsAudience Award - Spotlight PremiereNomitated
2012GoonDirectors Guild of Canada AwardsOutstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature FilmNomitated
2012GoonToronto Film Critics Association AwardsRogers Best Canadian Film AwardNomitated
2012GoonCanadian Screen AwardsBest DirectorNomitated
2014The Grand SeductionCanadian Screen AwardsBest Adapted ScreenplayNomitated
2014The F WordCanadian Screen AwardsBest DirectorNomitated
2014The F WordDirectors Guild of Canada AwardsBest Direction in a Feature FilmNomitated
2014The F WordDirectors Guild of Canada AwardsBest Feature FilmNomitated
2014The F WordToronto Film Critics Association AwardsRogers Best Canadian Film AwardNomitated