Bennie Woodell's childhood was marked by a fascination with 80's action films, with titles like Rambo, Predator, Commando, Young Guns, and Terminator captivating his imagination. This early exposure to high-octane action cinema would ultimately shape his lifelong passion for the genre.
As he delved deeper into the world of film, Woodell's interests shifted towards Hong Kong cinema, and he soon amassed a staggering collection of over 800 Hong Kong films. His dedication to the craft is evident in his annual goal to watch one movie a day, a habit that reinforces his core philosophy: "To become a great movie maker, you need to be a great movie watcher."
Initially intent on pursuing an acting career, Woodell's path took a dramatic turn during his high school years, where he studied theater. It was during this time that he first became enamored with the idea of directing, inspired by the works of John Woo and Wong Kar Wai.
Upon graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film/Video Directing, Woodell's unique filmmaking style began to take shape. His movies seamlessly blend the high-energy action of Hong Kong cinema with the artistic flair of French New Wave, drawing influence from the likes of Wong Kar Wai, John Woo, Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Johnnie To, Chang Cheh, Wes Anderson, Robert Rodriguez, Chan-Wook Park, Takashi Miike, and Jackie Chan.
Born and raised in Antioch, Illinois, Bennie Woodell is the only son of Ben and Liz Woodell.
