Aaron Kaufman obit

Aaron Kaufman, ‘Superpower’ Director, Dies at 51

 

He was not on the list.

Aaron Kaufman, a writer, director and producer whose credits include “Superpower” and “Machete Kills,” died on Thursday evening in Las Vegas after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was 51.

Kaufman’s death was confirmed by Chad Verdi, the film financier behind “The Irishman” as well as several of Kaufman’s past and upcoming projects.

The Long Island native, who was Robert Rodriguez‘s longtime producing partner, is best known for co-directing with Sean Penn the Emmy-nominated documentary “Superpower,” which traced the political rise of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. While Penn became the face of the 2023 documentary, it was Kaufman who had been on the ground in Ukraine in February 2022 when the ongoing war with Russia broke out. Kaufman had been in Kiev in the weeks leading up to Russia’s invasion and had been in the bunker with the Ukrainian leader during the perilous first days of the conflict. (Penn would arrive later to interview Zelenskyy for the documentary.)

With “Superpower,” Kaufman didn’t initially set out to direct a war movie. Instead, the film was meant to track Zelenskyy’s unusual trajectory from popular comedian to his place on the world stage after winning the presidential election in Ukraine in 2019. While promoting the film at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival, Kaufman said “Superpower” was “an opportunity to see what this guy was all about, to follow a path and see what the truth is. And that was so refreshing to me. It was intoxicating.”

In 2021, Kaufman turned his lens on the Jehovah’s Witnesses for the explosive Vice Studios docuseries “Crusaders,” which uncovered rampant abuses in the church. (The filmmaker was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness.)

Earlier in his career, the New York-based filmmaker relocated to Austin, where he worked with Robert Rodriguez, producing several of the Dimension director’s hit films including “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” “Machete” and “Machete Kills.” He also wrote, directed and produced the 2016 thriller “Urge,” starring Pierce Brosnan, which was released by Lionsgate.

At the time of his death, Kaufman had a slew of projects in the works, including a documentary chronicling the life and trailblazing career of Hawaiian legend Don Ho as well as other films set in Ukraine, where he continued to visit. Kaufman recently signed on as a producer on the Jennifer Tiexiera-helmed documentary “The Jet,” which follows on the life of famed kickboxer Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. Kaufman joined fellow producers John Scalise, Keanu Reeves and Fisher Stevens on the Verdi-financed film that is in production.

Kaufman was a beloved fixture in New York’s filmmaking community. He frequently held court with fellow producers and crew at his favorite spot, the Mercer Hotel, near his apartment. He frequently collaborated with his girlfriend, actor Kea Ho, the daughter of Don Ho.

He is survived by his three children as well as his mother, brother and a sister.

Producer

The Jet

producer

Pre-production

2025

 

Iron Birds

producer

Completed

 

Junction (2024)

Junction

5.2

producer

2024

 

Megan Fox, Tyson Ritter, and Ajani Russell in Johnny & Clyde (2023)

Johnny & Clyde

2.4

executive producer

2023

 

Allswell in New York (2022)

Allswell in New York

8.5

executive producer

2022

 

Volcano (2016)

Volcano

Short

producer

2016

 

Chris D'Elia, Hilary Duff, Bryan Greenberg, Brett Gelman, Jamie Chung, Hannah Simone, Eric André, and Skylar Astin in Flock of Dudes (2016)

Flock of Dudes

5.2

producer

2016

 

Pierce Brosnan, Danny Masterson, Justin Chatwin, Ashley Greene, Nick Thune, and Alexis Knapp in Urge (2016)

Urge

4.3

producer

2016

 

Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Josh Brolin, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Eva Green in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

6.5

producer

2014

 

Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, Danny Trejo, Sofía Vergara, Demián Bichir, Michelle Rodriguez, Alexa PenaVega, Marko Zaror, Amber Heard, Lady Gaga, and Elle LaMont in Machete Kills (2013)

Machete Kills

5.6

producer

2013

 

Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, Jessica Biel, and Eddie Redmayne in Powder Blue (2009)

Powder Blue

6.2

executive producer

2009

 

Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, and Carey Mulligan in The Greatest (2009)

The Greatest

6.6

executive producer

2009

 

Ashton Kutcher in Spread (2009)

Spread

5.8

executive producer

2009

 

Director

Stealing Don Ho

Director

Completed

 

Iron Birds

Director

Completed

 

Superpower (2023)

Superpower

5.9

Director

2023

 

Aaron Kaufman in Crusaders: Ex Jehovah's Witnesses Speak Out (2021)

Crusaders: Ex Jehovah's Witnesses Speak Out

7.9

Director (directed by)

2021

 

Volcano (2016)

Volcano

Short

Director

2016

 

Pierce Brosnan, Danny Masterson, Justin Chatwin, Ashley Greene, Nick Thune, and Alexis Knapp in Urge (2016)

Urge

4.3

Director

2016

 

Writer

Volcano (2016)

Volcano

Short

Writer

2016

 

Pierce Brosnan, Danny Masterson, Justin Chatwin, Ashley Greene, Nick Thune, and Alexis Knapp in Urge (2016)

Urge

4.3

story by

2016