Iconic Indie Filmmaker Dies at 76

The indie movie world has lost one of its forefathers following the death of Amos Poe. 

Claudia Summers, Poe’s wife, posted a message to social media announcing that the groundbreaking writer-director who spent the past half-century chronicling life in New York City, passed away on Christmas Day. 

“Amos took his last breath today at 3:33 p.m., surrounded by loved ones,” Summers wrote. That was followed by a message from Poe himself, which simply read: “Adios.”

Poe’s daughter, Emily, posted her own message to Facebook, writing: “We said goodbye today to @amos.poe—and the world will never be the same. Thanks, Dad, for bringing so much light, love and laughter to the world.” It was accompanied by several photos of the family.

What Was Amos Poe Famous For?

Poe gained recognition in 1976 with The Blank Generation, a documentary he co-directed with Ivan Král about the birth of the punk rock scene in New York City, all of it filmed at CBGB’s and featuring performances from such genre innovators as Patti Smith, Blondie, the Ramones, Talking Heads, and the Dolls.

Poe was considered a key voice in what became known as No Wave Cinema, an underground film movement characterized by a low-budget, DIY aesthetic that merged moviemaking with the experimental arts scene of New York City’s Lower East Side in the 1970s to 1980s. Largely inspired by the avant-garde work of Andy Warhol and the cinema of the French New Wave, the movement helped birth the careers of Jim Jarmusch, Susan Seidelman, Abel Ferrara, and Kathryn Bigelow. 

In addition to well-received feature films including Unmade Beds (1976), Subway Riders (1981), Alphabet City (1984), and A Walk in the Park (2012), Poe was a prolific music video director who worked with Animotion, Run-D.M.C., and Anthrax. 

What Was Amos Poe's Cause of Death?

According to Deadline, Poe was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2022, and underwent chemotherapy treatment. In June 2024, the filmmaker wrote about his cancer battle on Instagram while spending time in Greece.

“I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in the fall of 2022,” Poe wrote. “Went on a pretty strong five month chemotherapy regimen which knocked out 8 tumors. But in late November of 2023 one of the now ‘benign’ tumors came back, malignant and painful. In December I went back on chemotherapy until mid April of this year. This round was somewhat different and took a mighty toll on my body, especially the GI area. My terrific oncologist at MSK took me off the dreaded and poisonous sauce. Shortness of breath and intense neuropathy are sources of discomfort. My stomach and intestines are a colossal mess. What I needed was to get back to work—but as anyone who’s been in intense unrelenting pain will tell you, it’s tiring as f**k-all. So a few weeks, a month in the Mediterranean seemed the right prescription… and here we are. The Mrs. and I.”