서울국제음식영화제

감독인 아버지, 프로듀서인 어머니, 작가, 프로듀서 등으로 활발하게 활동하던 형제의 영향을 받아 배우 지망생이었던 도널드 페트리는 AFI에 입학한 후, 연출로 방향을 선회하게 된다. AFI 재학 중 연출한 단편영화 <Expert>가 스티븐 스필버그 감독의 눈에 띄어 TV 시리즈물인 <어메이징 스토리> 중의 <미스터 매직>을 연출하게 된다. 이후 그는 <맥가이버>, <LA Law> 등의 TV 시리즈를 연출했고, <미스틱 피자>로 영화에 데뷔한다. 그의 첫 장편영화인 <미스틱 피자>는 비평가들에게 호평을 받았고, 흥행에도 성공을 거두었다.

Petrie’s entertainment family includes his mother who is a producer, sisters Mary (a writer) and June, former vice-president of MGM/UA studios. He began his entertainment career as a television actor and then decided to follow in his father's profession and took up directing. He was accepted at the American Film Institute(AFI) where he made the short film, The Expert. The film caught the eye of Steven Spielberg who asked Petrie to direct an episode of his Amazing Stories television series. Petrie accepted the challenge and sat in the director's chair for the Mister Magic episode, starring Sid Caesar. Petrie continued working in television and began a fruitful period directing several hours of a number of series, but only within their first seasons. These include MacGyver, L.A. Law and The Equalizer. The Samuel Goldwyn Company then summoned Petrie to direct his first feature, Mystic Pizza (1988) starring Julia Roberts, Annabeth Gish and Lili Taylor. The film was applauded by both critics and audiences.