Richard Glatzer, who wrote and directed the Oscar winning film Still Alice with his husband Wash Westmoreland, passed away today from complications with ALS at 63 years of age. Westmoreland shared a statement:
“I am devastated. Rich was my soul mate, my collaborator, my best friend and my life. Seeing him battle ALS for four years with such grace and courage inspired me and all who knew him. In this dark time, I take some consolation in the fact that he got to see Still Alice go out into the world. He put his heart and soul into that film, and the fact that it touched so many people was a constant joy to him. Thank you to everyone for this huge outpouring of love. Richard was a unique guy — opinionated, funny, caring, gregarious, generous and so so smart. A true artist and a brilliant man. I treasure every day of the short 20 years we had together. I cannot believe he has gone. But in my heart and the hearts of those who loved him, he will always be alive.”
Still Alice starred Julianne Moore as a linguistics professor struggling with early-onset Alzheimer's, she won several awards for her work in the film including an Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG Award, and a BAFTA Award. Glatzer and Westmoreland also wrote and directed Quinceañera about two cousins living in Los Angeles who become estranged from their family, Carlos for being gay and Magdalena (played by out actress Emily Rios) for her unwed teen pregnancy, and are taken in by their elderly great-uncle. The film won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival where it premiered two years ago. Glatzer and Westmoreland also executive produced Pedro, the 2008 film about Pedro Zamora who made history on MTV's The Real World in 1993.
Our thoughts are with Westmoreland and the couple's friends and family.