Andrew Jarecki

Andrew Jarecki (born March 24, 1963) is an American filmmaker, musician, and entrepreneur. He is best known for the Emmy-winning documentary series The Jinx. He is also known for the documentary films Capturing the Friedmans and The Alabama Solution (2025), both winners and nominees at several festivals and awards ceremonies, earning both of them an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film nomination.

Career Jarecki graduated from Princeton University in 1985. He is the co-founder and CEO of Moviefone, which provides film schedules over the Internet and telephone and was sold to AOL in 1999. With producer J. J. Abrams, Jarecki co-wrote the theme song to Felicity, "New Version of You", in 2000.

Jarecki's 2003 documentary about a family, Capturing the Friedmans, his first feature, began as an offshoot from a short film he was making about birthday party clowns, which was titled Just a Clown and released in 2004. It earned him his first Academy Awards nomination for Best Documentary and recognition by the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Film.

Jarecki went on to direct the narrative feature All Good Things starring Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, and Frank Langella. The film, inspired by the life of millionaire Robert Durst and the unsolved disappearance of his wife Kathie, was released in 2010.

Along with filmmaking partner Marc Smerling, Jarecki also produced the 2010 documentary film Catfish, and co-produced and directed the documentary series The Jinx, which aired on HBO in 2015. Jarecki plays the drums and sings backing vocals on Bikini Robot Army's single "Joe Strummer's House".

Jarecki directed the 2018 Netflix comedy series Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attell.

In 2025 he produced, directed and write the documentary The Alabama Solution about the prison system in Alabama, being praised by critics and being nominated at the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film.

Personal life Jarecki is the son of financier-philanthropist Henry Jarecki, the brother of documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, finance executive Thomas A. Jarecki, and the half-brother of filmmaker Nicholas Jarecki.

Jarecki lives in New York City with his wife, Nancy Jarecki, and their three children.

Filmography

Accolades Academy Awards

Emmy Awards

Other awards and nominations