Aaron Kaufman, who directed the documentary Superpower about the war in Ukraine with Sean Penn and was Robert Rodriguez's longtime producing partner, has died. He was 51 years old.
Kaufman died Thursday in Las Vegas, Verdi Productions President Chad Verdi said The Hollywood journalist on Sunday. Reports indicated that Kaufman died of an apparent heart attack.
“It is a very sad time for everyone who loved Aaron,” Verdi wrote in an email to THR. “Aaron passed away Thursday evening. He and I spoke on the phone about 20 minutes before 911 was called. He was in a great mood and was going to dinner. Life is short and family and friends are everything. I miss him a lot already.”
Kaufman may be best known for the Emmy-nominated documentary, but he has also written, directed and produced several films, including Machete, Machete kills, Urge AND Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. He also served as executive producer Largest, Powder Blue, Spread, 13 Chef AND Flock of dudes.
Before SuperpowerKaufman also produced and directed the film Crusaders: former Jehovah's Witnesses speakwho denounced the religious group's alleged protection of thousands of recognized pedophiles around the world.
While Penn became the face of their documentary, Kaufman was the director on the ground when the war began in February 2022, after being in Kiev in the weeks following the Russian invasion. The project was originally supposed to shed light on President Volodymyr Zelensky and tell a “whimsical story of a comedian-turned-president.” But when the invasion occurred, the subject of the film changed dramatically.
“Ukraine is not just a national interest for the United States, it is the United States – or at least a nascent version doing its best to grow,” Kaufman wrote in an op-ed in Newsweek about his experience in the country's capital. “We simply cannot ignore it. If we do, we will lose all sense of who we were, who we are, and who we will become.”
Born on Long Island, New York, Kaufman started a small animation company in his 20s. He sold the company after a year and then began working for Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures. In the early 2000s he founded his own production company, Barbarian Films.
Kaufman met Rodriguez through an agent and they worked together for six years at Troublemaker Studios and Quick Draw Productions. Once their collaboration ended, he began to follow his passion and direct other films.
As a director, Kaufman had two upcoming projects, Steal Don Ho AND Iron birds – and both were completed before his death. He was also supposed to serve as a producer The jetwhich is still in pre-production.
Kaufman leaves behind his three children and his partner Kea, Don Ho's daughter.