Mississippi Burning
Updated: 12/11/2025, 10:11:38 AM Wikipedia source
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime thriller film directed by Alan Parker and written by Chris Gerolmo that is loosely based on the 1964 investigation into the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in Neshoba County, Mississippi. It stars Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe as two FBI agents investigating the disappearance of three civil rights activists in fictional Jessup County, Mississippi, who are met with hostility by the town's residents, local police, and the Ku Klux Klan. Gerolmo began writing the script in 1986 after researching the 1964 murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. He and producer Frederick Zollo presented it to Orion Pictures, and the studio hired Parker to direct. The writer and director had disputes over the script, and Orion allowed Parker to make uncredited rewrites. The film was shot in a number of locations in Mississippi and Alabama, with principal photography from March to May 1988. On release, Mississippi Burning was criticized by activists involved in the civil rights movement and the families of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner for its fictionalization of events. Critical reaction was generally positive, with praise for the cinematography and the performances of Hackman, Dafoe and Frances McDormand. The film grossed $34.6 million in North America against a production budget of $15 million. It received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won for Best Cinematography.
Infobox
Directed by
Alan Parker
Written by
Chris Gerolmo
Produced by
mw- Frederick Zollo Robert F. Colesberry
Starring
Gene Hackman Willem Dafoe
Cinematography
Peter Biziou
Edited by
Gerald Hambling
Music by
Trevor Jones
Distributed by
Orion Pictures
Release dates
December 2, 1988 (1988-12-02) (Washington) December 9, 1988 (1988-12-09) (United States)
Running time
128 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$15 million
Box office
$34.6 million
Tables
List of awards and nominations received by Mississippi Burning · Reception › Accolades
61st Academy Awards
61st Academy Awards
Award
61st Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee
Frederick Zollo and Robert F. Colesberry
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Alan Parker
Nominee
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Category
Frances McDormand
Nominee
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Peter Biziou
Nominee
Won
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Gerry Hambling
Nominee
Nominated
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Rick Kline and Danny Michael
Nominee
Nominated
1989 Annual ACE Eddie Awards
1989 Annual ACE Eddie Awards
Award
1989 Annual ACE Eddie Awards
Category
Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic
Nominee
Gerry Hambling
Result
Won
1989 Annual ASC Awards
1989 Annual ASC Awards
Award
1989 Annual ASC Awards
Category
ASC Award
Nominee
Peter Biziou
Result
Nominated
39th Berlin International Film Festival
39th Berlin International Film Festival
Award
39th Berlin International Film Festival
Category
Silver Bear for Best Actor
Nominee
Gene Hackman
Result
Won
Silver Bear for Best Director
Silver Bear for Best Director
Award
Silver Bear for Best Director
Category
Alan Parker
Nominee
Nominated
43rd British Academy Film Awards
43rd British Academy Film Awards
Award
43rd British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Sound
Nominee
Bill Phillips, Danny Michael, Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Rick Kline
Result
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Peter Biziou
Nominee
Won
Best Editing
Best Editing
Award
Best Editing
Category
Gerry Hambling
Nominee
Won
Best Direction
Best Direction
Award
Best Direction
Category
Alan Parker
Nominee
Nominated
Best Film Music
Best Film Music
Award
Best Film Music
Category
Trevor Jones
Nominee
Nominated
1989 British Society of Cinematographers Awards
1989 British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Award
1989 British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Category
Best Cinematography
Nominee
Peter Biziou
Result
Won
1989 Artios Awards
1989 Artios Awards
Award
1989 Artios Awards
Category
Best Casting for a Drama Film
Nominee
Howard Feuer, Juliet Taylor
Result
Won
2nd Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
2nd Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Award
2nd Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee
————
Result
Won
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Category
Frances McDormand
Nominee
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Brad Dourif
Nominee
Nominated
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Award
David di Donatello Awards
Category
Best Foreign Actor
Nominee
Gene Hackman
Result
Nominated
Best Foreign Film
Best Foreign Film
Award
Best Foreign Film
Category
Alan Parker
Nominee
Nominated
41st Directors Guild of America Awards
41st Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
41st Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directing – Feature Film
Nominee
Alan Parker
Result
Nominated
1988 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
1988 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
1988 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actress
Nominee
Frances McDormand
Result
Won
14th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
14th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Award
14th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Actor
Nominee
Gene Hackman
Result
Nominated
46th Golden Globe Awards
46th Golden Globe Awards
Award
46th Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee
————
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Alan Parker
Nominee
Nominated
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Award
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
Chris Gerolmo
Nominee
Nominated
60th National Board of Review Awards
60th National Board of Review Awards
Award
60th National Board of Review Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee
————
Result
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Alan Parker
Nominee
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee
Won
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Category
Frances McDormand
Nominee
Won
Top Ten Films
Top Ten Films
Award
Top Ten Films
Category
————
Nominee
Won
23rd National Society of Film Critics Awards
23rd National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
23rd National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Actor
Nominee
Gene Hackman
Result
Nominated
54th New York Film Critics Circle Awards
54th New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
54th New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee
————
Result
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee
Nominated
1989 Political Film Society Awards
1989 Political Film Society Awards
Award
1989 Political Film Society Awards
Category
Human Rights Award
Nominee
————
Result
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 61st Academy Awards | Best Picture | Frederick Zollo and Robert F. Colesberry | Nominated |
| Best Director | Alan Parker | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Frances McDormand | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Peter Biziou | Won | |
| Best Film Editing | Gerry Hambling | Nominated | |
| Best Sound | Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Rick Kline and Danny Michael | Nominated | |
| 1989 Annual ACE Eddie Awards | Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic | Gerry Hambling | Won |
| 1989 Annual ASC Awards | ASC Award | Peter Biziou | Nominated |
| 39th Berlin International Film Festival | Silver Bear for Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Won |
| Silver Bear for Best Director | Alan Parker | Nominated | |
| 43rd British Academy Film Awards | Best Sound | Bill Phillips, Danny Michael, Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Rick Kline | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Peter Biziou | Won | |
| Best Editing | Gerry Hambling | Won | |
| Best Direction | Alan Parker | Nominated | |
| Best Film Music | Trevor Jones | Nominated | |
| 1989 British Society of Cinematographers Awards | Best Cinematography | Peter Biziou | Won |
| 1989 Artios Awards | Best Casting for a Drama Film | Howard Feuer, Juliet Taylor | Won |
| 2nd Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | ———— | Won |
| Best Supporting Actress | Frances McDormand | Won | |
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Brad Dourif | Nominated | |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated |
| Best Foreign Film | Alan Parker | Nominated | |
| 41st Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | Alan Parker | Nominated |
| 1988 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Frances McDormand | Won |
| 14th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated |
| 46th Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | ———— | Nominated |
| Best Director | Alan Parker | Nominated | |
| Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Gene Hackman | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Chris Gerolmo | Nominated | |
| 60th National Board of Review Awards | Best Film | ———— | Won |
| Best Director | Alan Parker | Won | |
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Frances McDormand | Won | |
| Top Ten Films | ———— | Won | |
| 23rd National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated |
| 54th New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | ———— | Nominated |
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated | |
| 1989 Political Film Society Awards | Human Rights Award | ———— | Won |
References
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