Cellin Hiramoto Gluck is a Japanese American director renowned for his work on various films, including Persona Non Grata, Oba: The Last Samurai, Sideways, and Lorelei. As an assistant director and production manager, he has been involved in numerous notable productions, such as Godzilla, Memoirs of a Geisha, Transformers, Remember the Titans, Contact, and Black Rain.
Born in Japan and spending his formative years in Iran, Cellin's unique cultural background has had a profound impact on his life and career. He graduated from the Canadian Academy in Kobe before attending the Claremont Colleges, where he earned honors from the Pomona College Theatre Department.
Early on, Cellin's father encouraged him to pursue archaeology, but he instead chose to follow a more stable and lucrative path in the film industry. He leveraged his multi-cultural heritage to great effect, dedicating over 28 years to film production with a focus on Japanese culture.
Cellin's journey in the film industry began in advertising, where he worked as a producer before transitioning to commercial directing. He later moved into film, serving as an assistant director to renowned directors such as Ridley Scott, Roger Spottiswoode, Mike Figgis, Sean Cunningham, and Robert Zemeckis.
Cellin attributes his ability to bridge cultural divides to his own diverse upbringing and composition. This unique perspective allows him to connect with audiences on a deeper level, visually, viscerally, and artistically, as well as emotionally.
