RICK ALVERSON (1971) is a filmmaker and musician from Richmond, Virginia. He has made four feature films in conjunction with the independent label Jagjaguwar. His first, The Builder (2010), is an existential character study of an Irish immigrant at odds with the promise of America. New Jerusalem (2011), his second feature, starring Colm O’leary (The Builder) and Will Oldham (Matewan, Old Joy), again considered the immigrant experience but this time through the lens of religious ideology. New Jerusalem premiered at the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam and SXSW in 2011. His third feature, The Comedy, premiering in competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, is a tale of the perils of entitlement set in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The feature was produced by Mike S. Ryan (Meek’s Cutoff), Brent Kunkle and Glass Eye Pix and stars Tim Heidecker (Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie) in his first major dramatic role. In 2011, he was awarded a Visual Arts Fellowship from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. He also has directed videos for Bonny Prince Billy (New Wonder) and Gregor Samsa (Jeroen Van Aken). Upcoming films include a reconstruction era drama entitled Clement, to be produced in 2012, and Rabbit, both of which continue his collaboration with Colm O’Leary. In addition to his directorial work he has released 9 records on Jagjaguwar, most recently with his band Spokane in 2007.