Bennett Lasseter

Bennett is currently earning his MFA as a directing fellow at the American Film Institute. He grew up in the country town of Sonoma, California. He had a love for cartoons and movies, and could often be found glued to the TV, building Legos, or making up games with his four brothers. He had an interest in creative writing, but after taking a film class in high school things just clicked. Bennett earned his BA in film produc- tion at Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. During his time at LMU, he explored lighting and grip work, experimented in the editing lab, interned at Disneynature in Paris and settled into directing after making a short documentary in Italy for his junior thesis and a western short film his senior year. After his time at LMU, he worked as a freelance editor, while moonlighting as a skipper on the World Famous Jungle Cruise in Disneyland. Bennett's wide variety of experiences and work has made him a well-rounded filmmaker. As he continues to grow as a director, he still draws inspiration from cartoons, his hometown and his family.