Lisa Cholodenko (born June 5, 1964) is an American screenwriter and director. Cholodenko wrote and directed the films ''

High Art High culture is a subculture that emphasizes and encompasses the cultural objects of aesthetic value, which a society collectively esteem as exemplary art, and the intellectual works of philosophy, history, art, and literature that a society co ...

'' (1998), ''

Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neighb ...

'' (2002), and '' The Kids Are All Right'' (2010). She has also directed television, including the miniseries '' Olive Kitteridge'' (2014) and '' Unbelievable'' (2019). She has been nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

and a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

and has won an Emmy and a DGA Award.

Early life and education

Cholodenko is from the San Fernando Valley, and grew up in a liberal

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

family. Her paternal grandfather emigrated from

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...

. Cholodenko received a BA in anthropology and ethnic studies from

San Francisco State University San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different b ...

, where she was a teaching assistant for

Angela Davis Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member o ...

. In the early 1990s, she was an apprentice editor on

John Singleton John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...

's ''

Boyz n the Hood ''Boyz n the Hood'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood drama film written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King, ...

''. She also worked as an assistant editor on

Beeban Kidron Beeban Tania Kidron, Baroness Kidron, (born 2 May 1961) is a British filmmaker and an advocate for children's rights in the digital world. Kidron is Chair of 5Rights Foundation, a charity that delivers children's rights for young people online, ...

's '' Used People,'' Brett Leonard's ''

The Lawnmower Man "The Lawnmower Man" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the May 1975 issue of ''Cavalier'' and later included in King's 1978 collection '' Night Shift''. Plot summary Harold Parkette is in need of a new lawn mowing service. The ...

,'' and Gus Van Sant's ''

To Die For ''To Die For'' is a 1995 satirical black comedy film directed by Gus Van Sant, and written by Buck Henry based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard, which in turn was inspired by the story of Pamela Smart. It stars Nicole Kidman, ...

.'' In 1997, Cholodenko received an MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts in screenwriting and directing. While at Columbia, Cholodenko wrote and directed a number of short films, including ''Souvenir'' (1994) and ''Dinner Party'' (1997), which won the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

's Channel 4 TX prize and aired on UK, French, and Swiss television.

Career

Film

While at Columbia, Cholodenko wrote and directed her feature film debut ''

''. ''High Art'' won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...

as well as the National Society of Film Critics award for Ally Sheedy's performance. ''High Art'' premiered at Cannes Director's Fortnight and was distributed by October Films. Her next film ''

,'' starring

Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand (born Cynthia Ann Smith; June 23, 1957) is an American actress and producer. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, McDormand has received numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, two Primetime Em ...

Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, includin ...

, and

Kate Beckinsale Kathrin Romany Beckinsale (born 26 July 1973) is an English actress and model. After some minor television roles, her film debut was ''Much Ado About Nothing'' (1993) while a student at the University of Oxford. She appeared in British costum ...

, premiered at Cannes Director's Fortnight. It was nominated for multiple Independent Spirit Awards and was distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. Cholodenko directed the 2004 film '' Cavedweller'' for

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global ...

; it earned

Independent Spirit Award The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass ...

nominations for cast members Kyra Sedgwick and

Aidan Quinn Aidan Quinn (born March 8, 1959) is an American actor who made his film debut in '' Reckless'' (1984). He has starred in over 80 feature films, including ''Desperately Seeking Susan'' (1985), '' The Mission'' (1986), ''Stakeout'' (1987), ''Aval ...

. Cholodenko next co-wrote and directed '' The Kids Are All Right.'' She was nominated for an

for Best Original Screenplay. The film was nominated for another 3 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won a

for Best Picture, Comedy or Musical. Filmed in 23 days, Cholodenko directed the film on a $3.5 million budget, a much smaller amount than her fellow 2011 Oscar nominees. The film was made with three different sources of equity financing, with

Focus Features Focus Features LLC is an American film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as part of Universal Pictures, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and foreign films in t ...

picking up the film for distribution.

Television

In 2014, Cholodenko directed the HBO four-part mini-series '' Olive Kitteridge'' starring

and Richard Jenkins. ''Olive Kitteridge'' is based on the novel of the same name by

Elizabeth Strout Elizabeth Strout (born January 6, 1956) is an American novelist and author. She is widely known for her works in literary fiction and her descriptive characterization. She was born and raised in Portland, Maine, and her experiences in her youth s ...

Bill Murray William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on '' The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on ''Saturday Ni ...

, Jesse Plemons, Zoe Kazan, and

John Gallagher Jr. John Howard Gallagher Jr. (born June 17, 1984) is an American actor and musician best known for originating the role of Moritz Stiefel in the 2006 rock musical '' Spring Awakening'', which earned him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musi ...

co-starred. '' Olive Kitteridge'' premiered at the 2014

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...

to overwhelmingly positive reviews. The show received widespread critical acclaim when it premiered on television in November. It received three

nominations, and Cholodenko received a Directors Guild Award and a

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

for Outstanding Directing for her work on the miniseries. In 2018 Cholodenko was an executive producer and directed the first three episodes of Netflix's limited series '' Unbelievable.'' Based on the 2015 news article " An Unbelievable Story of Rape" written by Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong the show received universal acclaim when it premiered in October 2019. It received three

nominations, three Emmy nominations, and won the

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...

. Cholodenko has also directed episodes of '' Homicide: Life on the Street'', '' Six Feet Under'', ''

The L Word ''The L Word'' is a television drama that aired on Showtime from January 18, 2004 to March 8, 2009. The series follows the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who live in West Hollywood, California. The premise originated with Ilene ...

'', '' Hung, and

Here and Now Here and Now may refer to: Music * Here & Now (band), an English progressive/space rock band * Here and Now Tour, a series of concert tours Albums * ''Here and Now'' (The Jazztet album) (1962) * ''Here and Now'' (Hampton Hawes album) (1965) * ...

.'' Cholodenko was an executive producer, and directed the first episode, of the 2015 eight-part

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...

miniseries '' The Slap'', which was based on the Australian miniseries of the same name. Cholodenko is set to direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the upcoming

Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television seri ...

series ''The Girl from Plainville'', starring Elle Fanning.

Personal life

Cholodenko has a son with musician

Wendy Melvoin Wendy Ann Melvoin (born January 26, 1964) is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Prince as part of his backing band The Revolution, and for her collaboration with Lisa Coleman as one half of the duo Wendy ...

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

* 1998:

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award Waldo Miller Salt (October 18, 1914 – March 7, 1987) was an American screenwriter who won Academy Awards for both ''Midnight Cowboy'' and '' Coming Home''. Early life and career Salt was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Winifred (n ...

for ''High Art'' * 1998:

, Grand Jury Prize (nominee) for ''High Art'' * 1999:

Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass ...

, Best First Screenplay (winner) for ''High Art'' * 1999:

, Best First Feature (nominee) for ''High Art'' – with Dolly Hall (producer), Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte (producer), Susan A. Stover (producer) * 2002: CICAE, CICAE Art Cinema Award (nominee) for ''Laurel Canyon'' * 2010:

Humanitas Prize The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing, and is given to writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced and meaningful way. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser—also the founder of Paulist P ...

(nominee) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2010:

New York Film Critics Circle The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York ''Daily News''. Its membership includes over 30 film critics from New York-based daily and weekly newspapers, maga ...

, Best Screenplay for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2010: Women in Film, Dorothy Arzner Directors Award * 2010: Women Film Critics Circle Awards, Best Woman Storyteller for ''The Kids Are All Right'' * 2011:

Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with th ...

(nominee) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2011:

BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Original Screenplay has been presented to its winners since 1984, when the original category ( BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay) was split into two awards, the other being the ...

(nominee) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2011:

Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay The Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Winners and nominees 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s See also * Acad ...

(nominee) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2011:

Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy The Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy is a Golden Globe Award that has been awarded annually since 1952 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Eligibility Eligible films must be at least 70 minutes in l ...

(winner) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' * 2011:

, Best Director (nominee) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' * 2011:

Best Screenplay Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2011:

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers G ...

, Best Original Screenplay (nominee) for ''The Kids Are All Right'' – with Stuart Blumberg * 2014:

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special This is a list of the winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Chronology of category names Over the years, the scope of this award has evolved and the name with which ...

for '' Olive Kitteridge'' * 2014:

, Silver Mouse for ''Olive Kitteridge'' * 2015: Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film for ''Olive Kitteridge''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cholodenko, Lisa 1964 births 20th-century American screenwriters 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American screenwriters 21st-century American women writers American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent American women film directors American women screenwriters Columbia University School of the Arts alumni Directors Guild of America Award winners Film directors from Los Angeles Independent Spirit Award winners LGBT Jews LGBT film directors LGBT people from California LGBT screenwriters Lesbian artists American lesbian writers Living people Primetime Emmy Award winners San Francisco State University alumni Screenwriters from California Writers from Los Angeles