Aside from Darren Aronofsky's ability to visually tell breathtaking stories, it is his formalistic cinematic style that has earned him recognition in the film industry. Born February 12, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York, Darren describes himself as a “Brooklyn hip-hop kid.” His upbringing was marked by his Jewish heritage. Darren painted graffiti on subway cars and filmed Times Square. He had a lot of inspiration around him that led him to become passionate about cinema and all types of art. He himself had said that one of his biggest inspirations for becoming a director was Spike Lee's film She's Gotta Have It, because of the relationship between the New Yorkers in the film and his own experience in Brooklyn. After attending Harvard University, Aronofsky won numerous awards for his thesis film Super Market Sweep at the American Film Institute. Shortly after he began writing Pi, which also had nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, and Best Picture, Aronofsky began writing about characters who drive themselves toward self-destruction. Self-destruction is evident in most of Aronofsky's films, such as his last film Black Swan which also won numerous awards and led to actress Natalie Portman winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. His formalist character shines through in each of his films, whether in the special effects or in the acting. Growing up, Aronofsky had the great pleasure of seeing the greatest films released in theaters for the first time. Spielberg's Jaws and George Lucas' Star Wars were big successes that sparked Aronofsky's increased taste for cinema. Coming from a strong family and holding an MFA in directing, Aronofsky's big hits were becoming...... middle of paper ...... something viewers will enjoy. He has not only made films, but also a few anti-methamphetamine PSAs. Growing up in Brooklyn, Aronofsky saw what drugs did to young people, and today his non-belief in drug use has led him to also be recognized for his public service announcements . As of now, there are no projects in the works for Aronofsky, but whatever he plans to do next will most likely have the same Aronofsky features as a film. Bibliography “Darren Aronofsky”. www.imdb.com. www.amazon.com. Internet. December 6, 2011. .Dudek, Duane. “The Tragedy of Darren Aronofsky.” Sentinel Journal (2011). www.jsonline.com. Miller Genuine Draft, February 22, 2011. Web. December 6, 2011.Ho, Alexander, comp. “10 questions for Darren Aronofsky.” Time Magazine. TimeMagazine, January 17, 2011. Web. December 6. 2011.