Joyce Chopra facts for kids

Joyce Chopra (née Kalina; born October 27, 1936) is an American director and producer. She is known for making both documentaries and feature films. Her movies often explore important moments in people's lives, especially for women and young people.

She was married to American writer Tom Cole until his death in 2009.

Joyce Chopra's Journey in Film

Joyce Chopra was born in New York City on October 27, 1936. She grew up in the neighborhoods of Coney Island and Brighton Beach. Her father was a lawyer and a judge.

Joyce went to Brandeis University in Massachusetts. After graduating, she and her first husband, Amarjit Chopra, opened a coffee house. This place, called Club 47, quickly became a famous music club. Many well-known musicians, like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, performed there. A film about the club, For the Love of the Music, was shown in 2012.

Starting with Documentaries

Joyce Chopra began her film career in 1963 by making documentaries. Documentaries are films that show real-life events and people.

Her autobiographical film Joyce at 34 (released in 1974) became very famous. This film showed how her pregnancy affected her career as a filmmaker. It also explored the challenges of balancing a professional career with starting a family. The documentary won the Blue Ribbon award at the American Film Festival.

After this, she made a series of short documentaries:

• Matina Horner: Portrait of a Person (1973) was about the president of Radcliffe College.
• Girls at 12 (1975) looked at how young girls change as they become teenagers.
• Clorae and Albie (1976) followed two young Black women in Boston. It showed how their close friendship began to change as they grew up.

Moving to Fiction Films

In the mid-1980s, Joyce Chopra started making fiction films. These are movies with made-up stories and characters. She often worked with her husband, Tom Cole, on these projects. One of their first collaborations was Medal of Honor Rag for PBS in 1982.

Her first full-length fiction film was Smooth Talk (1985). This movie was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director. It also won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1985 Sundance Film Festival. The film was based on a short story by Joyce Carol Oates.

Her next feature film was The Lemon Sisters. She worked on this movie with producer and star Diane Keaton. The film is about the long-lasting friendships between three women. After The Lemon Sisters, Chopra began directing many television shows and movies made for TV.

Working with Young Filmmakers

Besides directing her own films, Joyce Chopra is part of BYKids. This is a non-profit organization that connects filmmakers with young people from around the world. Together, they create short documentaries. One example is My Beautiful Nicaragua, a film about how climate change affects coffee farming in Nicaragua.

Awards and Recognitions

Joyce Chopra has received many awards for her films:

• Smooth Talk: Grand Jury Prize at Sundance for Best Dramatic Feature (1985)
• Molly: An American Girl on the Homefront: Humanities Award
• That Our Children Will Not Die: American Film Festival Blue Ribbon Award
• Joyce at 34: American Film Festival Blue Ribbon Award
• Martha Clarke Light & Dark: A Dancer's Journal: American Film Festival Blue Ribbon Award
• Girls at Twelve: American Film Festival Blue Ribbon Award

She has also been nominated for awards:

• Smooth Talk: Independent Spirit Award for Best Director (1985), Independent Spirit Award for Best Picture (1985)
• Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front: DGA nomination for Best Director

Common Themes in Her Films

Joyce Chopra's films often explore important changes in people's lives. Many of her movies focus on the lives of women and young people.

• Girls at 12 and Smooth Talk look at the changes that happen during puberty.
• Joyce at 34 focuses on pregnancy and becoming a mother.
• The Lemon Sisters explores new relationships, lifestyles, and career choices.

Her other works, especially her documentaries, often focus on the experiences of young people.

Filmography

Fiction Films

• Smooth Talk (1985)
• The Lemon Sisters (1990)

Documentary Films

• A Happy Mother's Day (1963) co-directed with Richard Leacock
• Joyce at 34 (1974)
• Girls at 12 (1975)
• Clorae & Albie (1976)
• That Our Children Will Not Die (1978)
• Martha Clarke, Light and Dark (1981)
• Music Lessons (1981)
• Gramercy stories (2008)
• Fire in Our Hearts (2012)

Made-for-TV Movies

• Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Wojas Smart Story (1991)
• Baby Snatcher (1992)
• The Danger of Love: The Carolyn Warmus Story (1992)
• The Disappearance of Nora (1993)
• Angel Falls (1993) TV Series
• The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1994)
• Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995)
• My Very Best Friend (1996)
• L.A. Johns (1997)
• Convictions (1997)
• Murder in a Small Town (1999)
• Replacing Dad (1999)
• The Lady in Question (1999)
• Rip Girls (2000)
• Blonde (2001)
• Hollywood Wives: The New Generation (2003)
• The Last Cowboy (2003)
• Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front (2006)

TV Series Episodes

• PBS American Playhouse Medal of Honor, Rag (1982)
• Everwood
• Crossing Jordan
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit