Kevin Rafferty

For the Donegal player, see Kevin Rafferty (Gaelic footballer).

Kevin Gelshenen Rafferty II (May 25, 1947 – July 2, 2020) was an American documentary film cinematographer, director, and producer, best known for his 1982 documentary The Atomic Cafe.^[1][2]

Kevin Rafferty
photo of Kevin Rafferty
Born	(1947-05-25)May 25, 1947 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	July 2, 2020(2020-07-02) (aged 73) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Cinematographer Film director Film producer
Known for	Documentary films

Background

Rafferty was born in Boston on May 25, 1947.^[3] He studied architecture at Harvard and film at the California Institute of the Arts.^[4] He helped teach the craft of filmmaking to Michael Moore during the production of Roger & Me in 1989, and Moore has acknowledged Rafferty's influence on his own filmmaking. Rafferty teamed up with his brother Pierce and Jayne Loader^[5] to produce the cult classic documentary film The Atomic Cafe.^[6] He was the director, producer, editor and cinematographer of many documentary projects, including Blood in the Face, The War Room, Feed, and The Last Cigarette.^[4][7] His last project was 2009's Harvard Beats Yale 29-29.^[8]

Rafferty was a nephew of Barbara Bush, and a cousin of George W. Bush.^[9]

Rafferty died from cancer at his home in Manhattan on July 2, 2020, at age 73.^[3]

Filmography

As director or producer

• Hurry Tomorrow (1975)
• The Atomic Cafe (1982)
• Radio Bikini (1988)
• Blood in the Face (1991)
• Feed (1992)
• The Last Cigarette (1999)
• Who Wants to Be President? (2000)
• Harvard Beats Yale 29–29 (2008)

As cinematographer

• Roger & Me (1989)
• The War Room (1993)
• Good Money (1996)

As himself

• SexTV (2003) (TV)
• Manufacturing Dissent (2007)

Reception

Thom Powers of Harvardwood writes that Rafferty is "renowned for his wit and fresh perspectives on American culture".^[7] His various films have received positive reception. Of Hurry Tomorrow, Rafferty's documentary indictment of a California State psychiatric hospital, Colin Bennet of The Age wrote "Its anger and courage are the kind that lead to reform".^[10] Michael Atkinson of IFC calls Rafferty's latest, Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, "a hypnotic pleasure,"^[8] and Fast Company calls it an "engrossing documentary" which was "the best sports film we've seen in years",^[11] and Manohla Dargis of New York Times writes "while it seems absurd to include such a picayune event in the annals, the filmmaker Kevin Rafferty makes the case for remembrance and for the art of the story in his preposterously entertaining documentary Harvard Beats Yale 29-29".^[12]

The Atomic Cafe had received praise as one of the best Cold War movies of all time.^[13][14]

Accolades

• 1991, nomination, Grand Jury Prize for Blood in the Face by Sundance Film Festival
• 1983, nomination, Flaherty Documentary Award for Best Documentary for The Atomic Cafe by British Academy of Film and Television Arts^[15]
• 2016, The Atomic Cafe selected to the National Film Registry^[16]