Biography
James Becket (born 5 October 1936) is an American writer and filmmaker. He grew up in Lakeville, Connecticut, and studied at Williams College, Harvard Law School and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. He worked as a human-rights lawyer and journalist before entering film, including time as Director of Public Information for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Becket wrote the Miami Vice episode 'Heart of Night' (1988) and an episode of Crime Story (1988). He directed two CBS Schoolbreak Specials and ABC Afterschool Specials, including Big Boys Don't Cry (1992) and Fast Forward (1994), both of which received Humanitas Awards. His feature films include Southern Cross (1999) and Natural Causes (1994). Since the late 1990s he has focused on documentaries addressing social justice and environmental issues through Becket Films.
