Eugene Martin
About Eugene Martin
Eugene Martin is a filmmaker whose work looks intimately at issues of youth, the inner city, poverty, and social justice. His debut short film, Cynthia’s Window, was an official selection at the 1990 Berlin Film Festival. Martin’s debut narrative feature film, Two Plus One (starring Bill Sage), screened at the inaugural Slamdance Film Festival. Edge City (starring Mark Webber), Martin’s second narrative feature, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival. In 2001, Diary of a City Priest (starring David Morse) was an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival. The Other America was featured as the Opening Night film at the 2004 Slamdance Film Festival.

Major funders include The Independent Television Service (ITVS), The Philadelphia Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the American Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Sundance Documentary Fund, and Texas Filmmakers. Martin works fluidly between narrative and documentary forms, and often combines techniques from both in his feature film work.

Martins films have been screened internationally in more than 27 countries. His work has aired on national PBS, The Sundance Channel, and the BBC. His films have been screened at the Directors Guild of America, the National Gallery of Art, and at more than 100 film festivals internationally.

​
Martin is an avid soccer fan and soccer dad. He grew up in an urban area and played soccer in the streets. He got introduced to coaching through his children, and at age 6, his daughter started to play. He decided to help coach, and his teams used to play The Anderson Monarchs. After several years of being routinely beaten by The Monarchs, Martin developed a relationship with Coach Walter Stewart, and from there the idea to make a film was started. Martin and his family lived in London for a semester. His daughter played for a local North London football club that was coached by a former Arsenal Ladies player. Naturally Martin became an Arsenal fan!
Cinematographer Jen Schneider