Claudia Weill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Claudia Weill
Weill in 2015
Born	1947 (age 77–78) New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Harvard University
Occupation	Film, television and theatre director, film instructor
Spouse(s)	Walter S. Teller
Children	2

Claudia Weill is an American film director. She is famous for her movie Girlfriends (1978). This film starred Melanie Mayron, Christopher Guest, Bob Balaban, and Eli Wallach. Girlfriends was made independently and later sold to Warner Brothers. It won many awards at film festivals like Cannes, Filmex, and Sundance.

In 2019, the Library of Congress chose Girlfriends for the National Film Registry. This means the film is important for its culture, history, or beauty. Another one of her films, It's My Turn (1980), won an award called the Donatello. This is like an International Oscar for best new director.

Before directing feature films, Claudia Weill worked on many projects. She made about 30 films for Sesame Street. She also worked as a camerawoman and directed documentaries. One famous documentary is The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir. This film was about the first group of women to visit China in 1973. It was even nominated for an Academy Award.

Early Life and Education

Claudia Weill was born in New York City in 1947. Her family was Jewish. She went to Harvard University and graduated in 1969.

Directing Career

In 1986, Weill moved to Los Angeles. There, she started directing episodes for TV shows. Some of these shows include The Twilight Zone, Thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Girls for HBO.

She also directed plays for the theater. She won an award called the Drama Desk's Best Director Award in 1984. This was for a play called Found a Peanut. She has directed many other plays, including Twelfth Night and Doubt.

In 1979, a special set of trading cards called Supersisters was made. One of these cards featured Claudia Weill's name and picture.

After her film Girlfriends became successful, Columbia Pictures hired her. She directed the 1980 film It's My Turn. She was the only woman director with an all-male crew on this film. After this experience, she decided not to direct any more feature films.

Teaching and Mentoring

Claudia Weill has taught directing at many famous schools. These include Harvard, Juilliard, and Columbia University. She teaches students how to direct for film, television, and theater. She also helps new writers and directors.

She has been a judge at film festivals, like the Nashville Film Festival. She also helps the Directors Guild of America. Weill is part of the Directors' Executive Committee for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She was one of the first women directors to join this important committee in 1980.

Filmography

Films Directed by Claudia Weill

Here is a list of some films Claudia Weill directed:

• 1970 This Is the Home of Mrs. Levant Graham
• 1975 The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir
• 1978 Girlfriends
• 1980 It's My Turn
• 1986 Johnny Bull (TV movie)
• 1988 Giving Up the Ghost (TV movie)
• 1991 Face of a Stranger (TV movie)
• 1992 A Child Lost Forever (TV movie)
• 1996 Critical Choices (TV movie)
• 2013 He's Way More Famous Than You (as herself)

Personal Life

Claudia Weill married Walter S. Teller in 1985. They have two sons named Sam and Eli.