Jordan is a writer and director from Ohio, and no stranger to the horror community. He worked as an intern under Wes Craven while in college at Loyola Marymount University where he also pinpointed then unknown actors Bella Thorne and Anna Diop for roles in his student films.

 

He broke onto the scene with his first feature, the college-made cult horror film ThanksKilling, marking the first collaboration with longtime writing and producing partner Kevin Stewart. In the years since, his shorts Techno Western and Critters: Bounty Hunter earned praise amongst fans and genre outlets alike, but it was his latest feature The Head Hunter which elevated the filmmaker to new heights.

 

The medieval horror film premiered at Sitges, going on to win multiple awards on the festival circuit including Best Overall Feature and multiple Best Actor awards for the film’s breakout star Christopher Rygh, including at the acclaimed Fantasporto International Film Festival where previous winners include Mads Mikkelsen and Willem Dafoe. The Head Hunter opened as the #1 horror film and holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes where critics praised its minimalist storytelling.

 

Whether it’s speaking with horror crowds at festivals, or through fan favorite podcasts like Shock Waves or The Movie Crypt, the filmmaker’s sights have never wavered from his childhood love for fantasy and things that go bump in the night. "I can only imagine the staggering vision Jordan Downey and his team will concoct next” says Rue Morgue Magazine.