Terry Zwigoff is an American director, screenwriter, and musician, known for his films that explore American subcultures, misanthropy, and outsider figures. His career took off with the documentary *Crumb* (1994), an acclaimed portrait of cartoonist Robert Crumb which earned him the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. His fiction debut, *Ghost World* (2001), based on the eponymous comic book by Daniel Clowes, received great critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, shared with Clowes. This was followed by the cult black comedy *Bad Santa* (2003), starring Billy Bob Thornton, which solidified his fame with a wider audience. His filmography also includes his first documentary *Louie Bluie* (1985) and the film *Art School Confidential* (2006), another collaboration with Daniel Clowes, which confirms his interest in alienated characters and unconventional settings.