Concrete Cosmos

S. Craig Zahler is an American filmmaker, author, and composer, born January 23, 1973, in Miami, Florida. He studied film at New York University and initially worked as a cinematographer before focusing on screenwriting. Zahler made his directorial debut with the 2015 horror western *Bone Tomahawk*, which he also wrote and composed the music for. He continued this pattern with *Brawl in Cell Block 99* (2017) and *Dragged Across Concrete* (2018), films that garnered critical attention for their brutal violence and unique genre fusions. Beyond filmmaking, Zahler has authored several novels and graphic novels, some of which have received starred reviews and award nominations. He also has a notable career in music, performing and composing under the stage name Czar, exploring heavy metal with the band Realmbuilder and black metal with Charnel Valley, as well as composing film scores.

Zahler's literary and cinematic output is characterized by a distinctive blend of genres, often incorporating elements of westerns, horror, and crime narratives. His novels, such as *A Congregation of Jackals* and *Mean Business on North Ganson Street*, have earned critical acclaim, with some receiving starred reviews from publications like Booklist and nominations for awards like the Spur Award. In film, Zahler made his directorial debut with *Bone Tomahawk*, a horror western that was praised for its originality and violent intensity. He followed this with *Brawl in Cell Block 99* and *Dragged Across Concrete*, films that solidified his reputation for creating brutal, character-driven stories with a strong sense of atmosphere and genre subversion. His screenplays have also been sought after for adaptation by major studios, though many have not reached production.

Beyond his work in film and literature, S. Craig Zahler maintains a prolific career as a musician, primarily under the stage name Czar. He is a drummer, lyricist, and singer who collaborates with Jeff Herriott (as JH Halberd) in the heavy metal band Realmbuilder, which has released three albums on the Swedish label I Hate Records. Zahler also explored black metal with the project Charnel Valley, contributing drums, lyrics, and songwriting. In addition to his band work, he composes original scores for his films, often collaborating with Jeff Herriott under the moniker Binary Reptile. His film scores, including those for *Bone Tomahawk*, *Brawl in Cell Block 99*, and *Dragged Across Concrete*, have been released by Lakeshore Records.

Zahler, who identifies as an atheist despite being raised Jewish, approaches his work with a philosophy he describes as 'art over politics.' While some critics have interpreted his films as promoting right-wing agendas, Zahler states he is not politically driven or interested, focusing instead on artistic expression. He has also expressed a personal philosophy of not desiring marriage. His career has seen numerous screenplays optioned or sold without being produced in Hollywood, with only one, *Asylum Blackout* (also known as *The Incident*), being made by a French company. This experience highlights his independent approach to his creative output.

“I've had maybe a minimum of 21 different screenplays optioned or sold, and not one of them was made in Hollywood.”

“not politically driven; I'm not very politically interested”

“art over politics”