Derek M. Cianfrance (/ˈsiːənfræns/; born January 23, 1974) is an American film director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and editor. He is best known for writing and directing the films Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines, and The Light Between Oceans, as well as the HBO miniseries I Know This Much Is True. For his contributions to the story of Sound of Metal, he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with its director Darius Marder, and Abraham Marder.