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Maris Curran

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maris Curran
Born
U.S.
Occupation(s)Director, writer, producer
Years active2015–present

Maris Curran is an American filmmaker.[1][2] She is best known for directing the films Five Nights in Maine and Jeannette.[3][4]

Career

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Maris earned her BA from Smith College and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.[5][6] She participated in the Whitney Independent Study Program at the Whitney Museum of American Art and won a Fulbright Scholarship to Mexico City.[7] In 2015, she directed her debut feature film, Five Nights in Maine, starring David Oyelowo, Teyonah Parris, Rosie Perez and Dianne Wiest, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released theatrically.[8] In 2016, she directed the documentary short, The Man Is the Music, about the artist and musician Lonnie Holley.[9] In 2018, her short documentary film, While I Yet Live, about five quilters and freedom fighters from Gee's Bend, Alabama premiered at the Berlinale.[10]

In 2022, Maris directed the feature documentary, Jeannette, about Jeannette Feliciano, a survivor of the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre. The film provides an intimate window into the aftermath of trauma.[11] She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2023.[12]

Filmography

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Year Title Contribution Note
2015 Five Nights in Maine Director, writer and producer Feature film
2016 The Man Is the Music Director and producer Short Documentary
2018 While I yet Live Director and producer Short Documentary
2022 Jeannette Director and producer Documentary

Awards and nominations

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Year Result Award Category Work Ref.
2016 Nominated Cleveland International Film Festival Best American Independent Feature Film Five Nights in Maine [13]
Nominated Nashville Film Festival Bridgestone Narrative Feature Competition [14]
Nominated Palm Springs International Film Festival New Visions Grand Jury Prize [15]
Nominated Vail Film Festival Narrative Feature [16]
Won Ashland Independent Film Festival Best Ensemble Acting
2017 Won Indie Memphis Audience Award The Man Is The Music [17]
2018 Nominated LA Film Festival Best Documentary Short While I yet Live [18]
Nominated Berlin International Film Festival Best Short Film [19]
Won Nashville Film Festival Special Jury Prize [20]
Won RiverRun International Film Festival Best Documentary Short [21]
Won Frameline Film Festival Frameline Completion Fund Jeannette [22]
2022 Won San Francisco International Film Festival Best Documentary Feature [23]
Won Outfest Best Documentary Feature [24]

References

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  1. ^ "Biggest Challenge, Best Lesson: Five Nights in Maine Writer/Director Maris Curran". filmmakermagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  2. ^ "Maris Curran Talks "Jeannette," Her Portrait of a Pulse Night Club Survivor". womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  3. ^ "Review: 'Five Nights in Maine' Probes the Pain of Loss". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  4. ^ "Finding A Way To Heal: Frameline Documentary 'Jeannette' Puts Focus On Survivor Of Pulse Nightclub Massacre". deadline.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  5. ^ "Smith Club of Cleveland" (PDF). alumnae.smith.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  6. ^ "Maris Curran". filmindependent.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  7. ^ "INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM" (PDF). whitneymedia.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  8. ^ "Toronto Film Review: 'Five Nights in Maine'". variety.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  9. ^ "THE MAN IS THE MUSIC". docnyc.net. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  10. ^ "While I Yet Live". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  11. ^ "Outfest's 'Jeannette' Celebrates Resilience of Queer Single Mother After Pulse Tragedy". thewrap.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  12. ^ "Fulbright Alumni Named as 2023 Guggenheim Fellows". fulbrightprogram.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  13. ^ "FIVE NIGHTS IN MAINE". dev.clevelandfilm.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  14. ^ "2016 Nashville Film Festival" (PDF). nashvillefilmfestival.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  15. ^ "2016 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL". psfilmfest.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  16. ^ "Vail Film Festival". vailfilmfestival2016.sched.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  17. ^ "Indie Memphis: 2017 Film Festival Award Winners". commercialappeal.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  18. ^ "Get to Know the 2018 LA Film Festival Shorts and Web Series!". filmindependent.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  19. ^ "While I yet Live". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  20. ^ "The 2018 Nashville Film Festival Announces 2018 Feature Award Winners". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  21. ^ "RiverRun International Film Festival". riverrunfilm.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  22. ^ "The 2018 Frameline Completion Fund Award Winners". frameline.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  23. ^ "SFFILM announces Audience Awards for 2022 San Francisco International Film Festival". sffilm.org. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  24. ^ "Outfest L.A. 2022: Winners Revealed For Event's 40th Anniversary Edition". deadline.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
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