Lance Oppenheim (born January 26, 1996) is an American filmmaker, documentarian, and producer. His work blends nonfiction storytelling with heightened, cinematic formalism. Oppenheim has received critical acclaim for his films Some Kind of Heaven (2020) and Spermworld (2024). He is also known for creating the HBO documentary series Ren Faire (2024).
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Early life and education
Oppenheim was born in Hollywood, Florida, the son of Roy and Ellen Oppenheim, and raised in Weston, Florida. He attended Pine Crest School from 2010 to 2014. He graduated from Harvard University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in visual and environmental studies. At Harvard, Oppenheim studied under filmmakers Ross McElwee, Robb Moss, and Guy Maddin, and lived in Adams House.
Career
In high school, Oppenheim directed several short documentaries, one of which PBS distributed nationwide. He sent documentary pitches to the New York Times Op-Docs' open submission portal, documenting "crazy things happening in [his] backyard", which the Times would "politely reject." While in college, Oppenheim directed three short documentaries acquired and distributed by The New York Times Op-Docs. His short The Happiest Guy in the World, about long-term cruise passenger Mario Salcedo, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018.
