Damien Sayre Chazelle (born January 19, 1985) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his films Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016), and First Man (2018). Chazelle’s breakout hit, Whiplash, began as a proof-of-concept short film which debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and eventually attracted attention from financiers who helped to finance the full-length version, which would go on to receive critical acclaim and win three Academy Awards.