Tamar Halpern

Tamar Halpern is a writer and director living in Los Angeles. She holds an M.F.A. degree from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.

Halpern's most recent film is a documentary on artist Llyn Foulkes called Llyn Foulkes One Man Band, co-directed by Chris Quilty. Halpern met Foulkes when they were neighbors in Los Angeles, and after becoming friends she cast him in her previous feature film Your Name Here.

Llyn Foulkes One Man Band spans 7 years in the life of Foulkes as he struggles to find acknowledgement in the international art world. With commentary by Dennis Hopper, Johnny Carson, Paul Schimmel and George Herms, the documentary chronicles the executions of two Foulkes paintings The Lost Frontier (1997-2004) and Deliverance (2004-2007) and also features extended interviews and musical performances on Foulkes one-man band contraption that he calls "The Machine". The documentary premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2013, and Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter said, "An irresistible film subject...Foulkes is a joy to watch", while Scott Foundas of Variety compared the film to other recent acclaimed artist portrait documentaries Searching for Sugar Man and Cutie and the Boxer.

Her 2011 film Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life was based on the children's book of the same name by Wendy Mass, and starred Mira Sorvino and Joe Pantoliano, with music by Edie Brickell and Sing-Sing. Sing-Sing also contributed to Halpern’s previous film Shelf Life which Variety called a “whip-smart” film that “taps into a fresh source for American comedy”.

Halpern's short story, "The House Where the Grifters Squat," was written during a funded writing residency at Hedgebrook, and went on to win Sundress Publications' Best of the Net Award in 2010.

Halpern is also an occasional contributor to the Huffington Post.

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