Dean Blumberg Biography

Even before leaving film school Dean Blumberg immediately established himself as one of the new voices of South African Film. At AFDA Dean completed three short films, all of which he wrote and directed while graduating with honours course as M-Net’s Student of the Year.

These films were officially selected by multiple International Film Festivals and began sweeping up awards.

Almost overnight Dean had become one of South Africa’s most awarded filmmakers. Finally, his films landed him in Cannes where he was officially selected to showcase his work.

Prior to Film School Dean had worked his way through the film industry first as a Production Assistant, Camera, and Lighting Assistant and finally to a position as a 2nd and 3rd Assistant Director on both Feature Films, Television Series, and Commercials. During this time he achieved a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Witwatersrand majoring in Marketing and Law, with Minors in Film, Psychology, and Philosophy. In amongst his studies and burgeoning passion for film, Dean explored the world by taking on a series of eclectic jobs, some of which include Night Club Bouncer, Traveling Shoe Salesman, Motivational Speakers Assistant, Sushi Chef, Strip Club Bartender, Natural Healer and an Actor on Stage and Film.

With his eclectic background, Dean took a run at the competitive Commercial world. His career had an impressive start. Within his first year, Dean won the Shots Young Director’s award in Cannes and was chosen for the New Director’s Showcase in Shots magazine. Shortly afterward he won his first Ad of The Year for Creative Circle.

Since then his career has skyrocketed. Dean was selected along with a handful of international directors to showcase his work at the Boards Summit in New York.

Dean was chosen for the 2007 Shots New Directors Showcase and was the only South African to appear in the Film section of the 2007 Gunn Report’s 100 Most Awarded commercials list. Something he repeated in 2015.

Dean is the most awarded Director in the Creative Circle’s history, having won Creative Circle’s Ad of the Year twice more as well additional 2nd and 3rd places in alternative years.

Dean has collected up awards as the world’s most prestigious Advertising showcases such as the Cannes Lions, Clio’s, Midas, London International, and One Show, including the Grand Prix at the Loeries Advertising Awards.

Amongst these achievements Dean is also responsible for the international-breakthrough commercial, Nando’s “Last Dictator Standing” and one of the world’s most viewed Tourism commercials for South Africa “Reconsider.”

Dean is known for his sensitivity and delicate handling of subject matter. He is a born storyteller, able to elicit real and moving performances. Dean is at home directing in many genres but it is his work with actors that set him apart, including the work he has done with high-caliber actors such Sir Ben Kingsley, William Shatner, james ngcobo, and Steven Hartley.

Feature films have always been Dean’s number one ambition and he considers his years as a commercial director “the best film school he ever attended.” Dean has remained close to the feature Film side by completing three feature film scripts, two of which he sold very early on and is often invited to lecture and give workshops on Narrative Direction. His short film Black Sushi is still taught in many school syllabi as a model for storytelling.

He is currently in the development of his first feature film for Netlfix “SPLITSVILLE” for release in 2022.