Alice Rohrwacher Explained

Alice Rohrwacher
Birth Date:1981 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Fiesole, Tuscany, Italy
Alma Mater:University of Turin
Occupation:Film director, screenwriter, editor
Years Active:2005–present
Relatives:Alba Rohrwacher (sister)

Alice Rohrwacher (pronounced as /it/, pronounced as /de/; born 29 December 1981) is an Italian film director, editor and screenwriter. She made her directorial debut with Heavenly Body (2011). She has since directed notable films such as The Wonders (2014), winner of the Grand Prix, Happy as Lazzaro (2018), which received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay, and La chimera (2023). Her short Le pupille (2022) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.[1]

Early life

Rohrwacher was born in Fiesole, in Tuscany, to an Italian mother and German father.[2] She spent her youth in the village of Castel Giorgio, Umbria, where her mother was born and her father Reinhard worked as a beekeeper. She is the younger sister of the Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher.[3] She studied Classics at the University of Turin, then specialized in screenwriting at the Holden School in Turin.[3]

Career

Her first experience in filmmaking was in 2006, when directing a part of the Italian documentary Checosamanca.

In 2011, she directed her first feature film, Heavenly Body, which premiered at the Directors' Fortnight during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.[4] [5]

Her second feature film, The Wonders, won the Grand Prix at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.[6] Also in 2014, Rohrwacher was appointed the President of the International Jury for the “Luigi De Laurentiis” Venice Award for a Debut Film at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.

She announced filming of her third film Lazzaro Felice in 2017 with the film starring Sergi López and Rohrwacher's sister Alba Rohrwacher.[7] The film premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best Screenplay. It was released by Netflix in December of that year.

In June 2018, Rohrwacher was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[8]

Rohrwacher was invited to serve on the jury at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.[9] In 2023, she was nominated alongside Alfonso Cuarón for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for their short Le pupille (2022), eventually losing to An Irish Goodbye. Her film La chimera (2023), starring Josh O'Connor and Isabella Rossellini premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival where it was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or.[10]

In 2024, Rohrwacher co-directed with JR the short film An Urban Allegory, which will make its world premiere out of competition at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.[11]

Style

Bong Joon-ho described her work as "a mix of magic realism and neorealism, innocent characters butting up against corrupt behemoths".[12]

Favorite films

In 2022, Rohrwacher listed her 10 favorite films in a Sight & Sound poll.[13]

Filmography

As filmmaker

YearTitleDirectorScreenwriterNotes
2006ChecosamancaDocumentary film
2011Heavenly BodyFeature film
2014The Wonders Feature film
20149x10 novanta Documentary film (segment: "Una canzone")
2015De Djess Short film
2018Happy as LazzaroFeature film
2021FuturaDocumentary film
2022Le pupilleShort film
2023La chimeraFeature film
2024An Urban AllegoryShort film. Co-directed with JR.

Other work

YearTitleDirectorScreenwriterCinematographerEditorNotes
2005Un piccolo spettacoloDocumentary film
2008BoygoShort film
TradurreDocumentary film
2009In tempo, ma rubatoDocumentary film
Residuo fissoDocumentary short
2020My Brilliant FriendHBO series; 2 episodes
Ad una melaTrailer for the Vienna International Film Festival

Accolades

AwardYear CategoryWorkResultclass=unsortable
2022Best Live Action Short FilmLe pupille
Abu Dhabi Film Festival2014Black Pearl AwardThe Wonders[14]
Cannes Film Festival2011Caméra d'OrHeavenly Body[15]
2014Grand PrixThe Wonders[16]
Best ScreenplayHappy as Lazzaro[17]
2021L'Œil d'orFutura[18]
2023Palme d'OrLa chimera[19]
Chicago International Film Festival2018Gold HugoHappy as Lazzaro[20]
David di Donatello2011Best New DirectorHeavenly Body[21]
2019Best FilmHappy as Lazzaro
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
2022Best DocumentaryFutura
2024Best FilmLa chimera
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
European Film Awards2018European FilmHappy as Lazzaro[22]
European Director
European Screenwriter
European University Film Award[23]
Filmfest München2014CineVision AwardThe Wonders[24]
Gothenburg Film Festival2012Ingmar Bergman International Debut AwardHeavenly Body[25]
Independent Spirit Awards2019Best International FilmHappy as Lazzaro[26]
Nastro d'Argento2011Best New DirectorHeavenly Body[27]
2023Nastro d’Argento specialeLe pupille[28]
Telluride Film Festival2023Silver Medallion[29]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-03-12 . 95th Oscars: See the Full List of Winners Here . 2024-05-04 . . en.
  2. Web site: Rassegna stampa Alba Rohrwacher . 1 May 2014 . Mymovies.it . 29 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210129033058/https://www.mymovies.it/critica/persone/critica.asp?id=63279&a=73953 . dead .
  3. News: Fulvia Caprara. Rohrwacher, sorelle d'arte che non-si incontrano mai. 1 May 2014. La Stampa. 22 April 2011.
  4. Book: Smith, Ian Hayden . International Film Guide 2012 . 2012 . 978-1908215017 . 154.
  5. Web site: The moon in May . 2 September 2012 . BFI . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155256/http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/newsandviews/festivals/blog/cannes-2011-05-20-moon-in-may.php . 11 February 2017 . dead .
  6. Web site: Awards 2014 : Competition . 25 May 2014 . Cannes . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140527200255/http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/awardCompetition.html . 27 May 2014 .
  7. Web site: Vivarelli. Nick. Italy's Alice Rohrwacher Shooting 'Lazzaro Felice,' Match Factory Takes World Sales. 7 August 2017 . 30 August 2017.
  8. Web site: 2018-06-25 . ACADEMY INVITES 928 TO MEMBERSHIP . 2024-05-04 . . en.
  9. Web site: Oldham . Stuart . Cannes Announces 2019 Jury Members Including Elle Fanning and Yorgos Lanthimos . 29 April 2019 . 1 May 2019.
  10. Web site: Cannes Breaks Its Own Record for Female Filmmakers in Competition (Again) . Erbland . Kate . 2023-04-13 . . 2024-04-16.
  11. Web site: Roxborough . Scott . 23 July 2024 . ‘Joker 2,’ ‘Maria,’ ‘Wolfs’ in Venice Lineup . The Hollywood Reporter.
  12. Web site: Joon-ho. Bong. February 25, 2020. Bong Joon Ho's 20 upcoming directors for the 2020s. August 5, 2020. British Film Institute. 27 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200227001414/https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/bong-joon-ho-picks-20-upcoming-film-directors-for-2020s. dead.
  13. Web site: Alice Rohrwacher names the 10 greatest films of all time. Far Out. May 22, 2023.
  14. Web site: Ritman . Alex . 2014-10-31 . ‘Leviathan’ Claims Top Award at Abu Dhabi Film Festival . 2024-05-04 . . en-US.
  15. Web site: Around the selection 2011 : Caméra d'or . 2024-05-04 . Festival de Cannes . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091226/http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/festival/aroundTheSelection/2011/CameraOr.html . 2 Apr 2015.
  16. Web site: 2014-05-24 . All the 67th Festival de Cannes Awards . 2024-05-04 . Festival de Cannes . en-US.
  17. Web site: 2018-05-19 . 71st Festival de Cannes Awards . 2024-05-04 . Festival de Cannes . en-US.
  18. Web site: 2021-07-01 . Les documentaires 2021 à Cannes . 2024-05-04 . Scam : Société civile des auteurs multimédia . fr-FR.
  19. Web site: 2023-04-13 . The films of the Official Selection 2023 . 2024-05-04 . Festival de Cannes . en-US.
  20. Web site: 2018-10-20 . Awards Announced for 54th Chicago International Film Festival . 2024-05-04 . Cinema Chicago . en-US.
  21. Web site: Alice ROHRWACHER . 2024-05-04 . Accademia del Cinema Italiano - Premi David di Donatello.
  22. Web site: Roxborough . Scott . 2018-11-11 . ‘Cold War’ Leads European Film Awards Nominations . 2024-05-04 . . en-US.
  23. Web site: HAPPY AS LAZZARO Wins European University Film Award (EUFA) . 2024-05-04 . . en.
  24. Web site: CineVision Award . 2024-05-04 . FILMFEST MÜNCHEN.
  25. Web site: Simon . Alissa . 2012-02-05 . ‘Orheim’ nabs Dragon at Gothenburg . 2024-05-04 . Variety . en-US.
  26. Web site: Warren . Matt . 2018-11-16 . These Are Your 2019 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominees! . 2024-05-04 . Film Independent . en-US.
  27. Web site: 2011 . 2024-05-04 . Nastri d'Argento . it-IT.
  28. Web site: 2023-04-24 . CORTI d'ARGENTO 2023 LA SELEZIONE UFFICIALE, I TITOLI FINALISTI e IL NASTRO SPECIALE AD ALICE ROHRWACHER . 2024-05-04 . Nastri d'Argento . it-IT.
  29. Web site: 2023-08-30 . 2023 Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes World Premieres From Emerald Fennell, Alexander Payne . 2024-05-04 . . en.