Elisa Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elisa Miller
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Born |
Elisa Miller Encinas
July 1982 |
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Occupation |
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Years active | 2006–present |
Notable work
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Elisa Miller Encinas is an award-winning film director, writer, and producer from Mexico. She studied English literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Later, she studied film directing at the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC) in Mexico City. She made history as the first and only Mexican female filmmaker to win the Golden Palm for a short film. This big award was given at the famous Cannes Film Festival. Her first short film, Ver Llover (Watching It Rain, 2006), won many awards in Mexico and around the world in 2007.
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Early Life and Education
Elisa Miller was born in Mexico City, Mexico, in July 1982. She discovered the world of movies at a very young age. Her grandmother, who lived in Paris, France, often told her stories. She talked about going to French movie theaters and watching films by famous directors. These included Claire Denis and Chantal Akerman. Akerman later became a big inspiration for Elisa's own work as a director.
Elisa also grew up in a family that worked in film casting. This meant she saw different parts of how movies are made in Mexico. However, this background did not immediately make her want to study film.
At 19, after finishing high school, Elisa started studying philosophy. She went to Aix-Marseille University in France. But after a few months, she found the language difficult and didn't like her major. So, she decided to leave school and return to Mexico City.
While in France, Elisa got to know cinema even more. Besides her main courses, she took many film history classes. For the first time, she felt excited about studying film. This idea grew stronger after she studied films by Latin American directors. One important film was La Ciénaga (The Swamp, 2001) by Lucrecia Martel. With directors like Akerman and Martel, Elisa realized she could also make films based on what she knew. She understood that being a woman was not a barrier. After returning to Mexico, she earned her degree in English literature. She then applied and was accepted into the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC). There, she earned her degree in cinematography and film directing.
Elisa Miller's Film Career
Elisa Miller's career as a well-known filmmaker started even before she finished her film degree. While she was still a student at the CCC, she made the short film Ver Llover (2007). This was for one of her production classes. Ver Llover tells the story of two close friends, Jonah and Sophia. Their friendship changes when Sophia decides to leave her hometown. Jonah struggles to decide if he should follow her or stay with his mother.
Even though her film was not well-received as a school assignment, Elisa decided to submit it. She sent it to the 4th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM). The film was nominated and won the award for Best Fiction Short Film. Her family and friends encouraged her. After seeing the film's success in Mexico, Elisa made a 35-millimeter copy. She then submitted it to the 60th Cannes Film Festival. Ver Llover won the Short Film Golden Palm in 2007. This made Elisa Miller the first Mexican female director to receive this important award.
Later Films and Challenges
After the success of Ver Llover, Miller made her senior thesis film, Roma (2008). This short film tells the story of a worker who helps a woman traveling illegally inside a train. The train arrives at the soap factory where he works. Roma also became a success in Mexico and worldwide. It helped her become known as a promising filmmaker. Roma won several awards. These included the Studio 5 de Mayo Special prize at the 6th Morelia International Film Festival. It also won Best Short Film at the 10th IMAGO - International Youth Film Festival in Portugal.
In 2010, Elisa Miller released her first full-length film, Vete Más Lejos, Alicia (Alicia, Go Yonder, 2010). This film is about a young woman who runs away from home. She is escaping family pressure about her future. Miller said that Sylvia Plath's book The Bell Jar inspired this project. The film was shown internationally at the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam. It was nominated for the Tiger Award, a top prize at that festival. Even with its success in Europe, the film was not widely shown in Mexico. Some film critics even called it a "mediocre work." These comments affected Miller's career.
Four years later, Elisa Miller met the English artist Sarah Lucas. This happened during Lucas's art shows in Mexico. Miller then directed and produced her first documentary film, About Sarah (2014). This documentary shows Sarah Lucas's life over one year. It includes her art and personal life. The film was shown in both the United Kingdom and Mexico. However, it was only in a few theaters in Mexico. In the same year, Miller also worked as an executive producer. She helped with Gustavo Gamou's documentary El Regreso del Muerto (The Return of the Dead, 2014). This film is about a man who fakes his death to escape organized crime. This was the first time Miller produced a film she did not direct.
In 2015, Miller returned to the 13th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM). She presented her second full-length film, El Placer es Mío (The Pleasure is Mine, 2015). This film shows the challenges of adult relationships.
In 2018, Miller started working as an instructor. She teaches at the Escuela Itinerante de Cine y Narrativa Audiovisual in Mexico City. Her classes focus on film directing, screenwriting, and editing. She helps students develop their own ideas by looking inward. This is a technique she uses in her own filmmaking.
In 2022, it was announced that Miller will direct a film adaptation. This film is based on Fernanda Melchor's 2017 novel Hurricane Season. Netflix is producing the film.
Themes and Styles in Her Films
Themes in Elisa Miller's Films
Elisa Miller's films explore many different topics. These range from problems in teenage years to challenges in adulthood. However, her films often focus on human loneliness. They also show the inner struggles people face when making decisions. This is especially true when people feel pressure from others. Miller has said that these two topics are common in her movies. They are very meaningful and important in her own life. She sees exploring these personal themes through film as a type of "Art Therapy." It helps her "dig into her inner emotions" and "reflect about the reasons behind her life experiences."
Besides loneliness and pressure, Miller's films also explore other subjects. She is a feminist filmmaker and strongly supports women in the Mexican film industry. Because of this, she often shows women in leadership roles in her films. In most of her films, women are shown as strong and determined. They live their daily lives and challenge old-fashioned ideas. For example, in Ver Llover, Vete más lejos, Alicia, and her documentary About Sarah, women are brave and work hard to reach their goals. Also, she often works with female cinematographers and screenwriters. This includes María Secco and Gabriela Vidal. Because of this, her films often share a female point of view.
Styles in Elisa Miller's Films
Elisa Miller's films are known for their documentary-like style. She greatly admires the work of Chantal Akerman, especially the film News From Home (1977). Miller tries to include real-life documentary qualities in her stories. She aims to create films that are "in between the thin border of documentary and fiction." This means she includes spontaneous events that don't always follow the original script.
Besides allowing for unplanned moments, Miller also likes to highlight the natural qualities of her actors. Instead of just filming actors following a script, she tries to create characters that share the personalities of the actors. This makes their performances seem very natural, as if she is filming real people. Also, her films do not focus on showing "perfect" or "attractive" characters. Instead, she shows individuals who truly reflect what modern society is like.
Personal Life and Challenges
While Ver Llover marked the start of Elisa Miller's film career, it also brought some difficult times in her personal life.
In response to social pressures in Mexico, Miller worked with actress Sofia Espinosa. Sofia was a long-time friend and collaborator. They also worked with cinematographer María Secco. Together, they made Miller's first full-length film, Vete mas lejos, Alicia.
Unfortunately, film pressures have not been the only challenges in her life. Like many women in the Mexican workforce, Elisa Miller has also faced struggles with machismo (a strong sense of male pride and dominance) and gender discrimination. During the filming of her latest movie, El Placer es Mío, Miller had problems with some crew members. They did not respect her work as a film director.
Even though the production continued, and the crew eventually respected her art, it was not easy. Miller had to act tough and intimidating. She felt she had to "act" like a strong leader so the production team would take her seriously.
Filmography
Year | Title | Director | Screenwriter | Producer | Actress | Notes |
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2006 | Ver Llover (short) | Yes | Yes | |||
2008 | Roma (short) | Yes | Yes | |||
2010 | Vete más lejos Alicia | Yes | Yes | |||
2014 | About Sarah (Documentary) | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
2015 | El Regreso del Muerto (Documentary) | Yes | ||||
2016 | El Placer es Mío | Yes | Yes | |||
2023 | Hurricane Season | Yes | Yes |
Awards
Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
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2006 | Morelia International Film Festival | Short Film Competition Award | Ver Llover | Won |
2007 | Cannes Film Festival | Best Short Film | Ver Llover | Won |
Cannes Film Festival | Norman McLaren Award | Ver Llover | Won | |
Havana Film Festival | The Coral | Ver Llover | Won | |
2008 | Ariel Award | Silver Ariel | Ver Llover | Won |
Morelia International Film Festival | Garcia Bross Prize | Roma | Won | |
2009 | Expresión en Corto International Film Festival | Special Jury Award | Roma | Won |
Imago | Best Film | Roma | Won | |
Ariel Award | Silver Ariel | Roma | Nominated | |
2010 | Pune International Film Festival | Best Director in the Student Category | Vete más lejos Alicia | Won |
2011 | Rotterdam International Film Festival | Tiger Award | Vete más lejos Alicia | Nominated |
2015 | Morelia International Film Festival | Best First/Second Mexican Feature | Vete más lejos Alicia | Won |
2023 | Best Mexican Feature Film | Hurricane Season | Nominated | |
Best Screenplay (shared with Daniela Gómez) | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Elisa Miller para niños