Lynn Shelton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lynn Shelton
Shelton in 2012
Born	(1965-08-27)August 27, 1965 Oberlin, Ohio, U.S.
Died	May 16, 2020(2020-05-16) (aged 54) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Oberlin College University of Washington (BA) School of Visual Arts (MFA)
Occupation	Film director screenwriter producer
Years active	2001–2020
Spouse(s)	Kevin Seal ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 2019)​
Partner(s)	Marc Maron (2019–2020)
Children	1

Lynn Shelton (born August 27, 1965 – died May 16, 2020) was a talented American filmmaker. She was known for writing, directing, and producing many movies and TV shows. Some of her famous films include Humpday and Your Sister's Sister. She was part of a style of filmmaking called mumblecore, which focuses on natural-sounding dialogue and everyday stories.

Lynn Shelton's Early Life

Lynn Shelton was born in Oberlin, Ohio. She grew up in Seattle, Washington. When she was a young girl, she described herself as very brave and creative. However, as she got older, she felt like she lost some of that confidence. This feeling later inspired her 2005 film We Go Way Back.

Shelton went to Garfield High School. After high school, she studied at Oberlin College and then the University of Washington School of Drama. Later, she moved to New York City and studied photography at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

She started her career in the film world as a film editor. She also made many experimental short films. These early films helped her develop the careful and detailed style she used in her later work. To support herself while making films, she even worked on a fishing trawler in the Bering Sea.

Lynn Shelton's Film and TV Career

Lynn Shelton always wanted to be a director. But she worried that at over 30 years old, it might be too late to start. In 2003, she heard French director Claire Denis speak. Denis shared that she was 40 when she directed her first big movie. This made Shelton realize she still had plenty of time to follow her dream.

In 2004, Shelton began writing and directing her first feature film, We Go Way Back. This film tells the story of a 23-year-old actress named Kate. Kate is confronted by her 13-year-old self. The film explores how our past selves can influence us. We Go Way Back was shown for the first time at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2006.

In 2008, Shelton's comedy My Effortless Brilliance was shown at the South by Southwest and Maryland Film Festival.

Her film Humpday was first shown at the Sundance Film Festival. It was later bought by Magnolia Pictures. This movie was also shown at many other film festivals, including Cannes and the SIFF. It opened in theaters in New York and Seattle in July 2009.

In 2011, her film Your Sister's Sister premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. This movie starred famous actors like Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Mark Duplass. Her next film, Touchy Feely, was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. It was even nominated for a big award there. It starred Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney, and Elliot Page.

Laggies was the first film Shelton directed that she did not also write. This movie starred Keira Knightley and Chloë Grace Moretz. It premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was bought by A24 Films.

In 2015, Lynn Shelton was invited to join the Director's Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Oscars!

In 2017, her film Outside In was shown for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival. It featured actors like Jay Duplass, Edie Falco, Kaitlyn Dever, and Ben Schwartz.

Her 2019 comedy Sword of Trust premiered at South by Southwest. In this film, a character named Cynthia (Jillian Bell) inherits a sword. Her grandfather believed this sword proved the South won the Civil War.

Besides movies, Shelton also directed episodes for many popular TV shows. Since 2009, she worked on shows like The Good Place, GLOW, New Girl, Mad Men, and Casual. In 2020, she directed four episodes of the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere, which starred Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon.

Just a week before she passed away, Shelton shared that she was working on a new dramatic film. She was co-writing it with actor and comedian Marc Maron.

Influences on Lynn Shelton's Work

Lynn Shelton looked up to several other directors. She mentioned Claire Denis, Woody Allen, and Ingmar Bergman as people who influenced her work.

In 2020, she posted a picture from the movie YOU CAN COUNT ON ME (2000) on her Instagram page. This movie was written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. Shelton wrote, "I don't know if I could ever make a film as perfect and incredible as this one, but boy oh boy would I like to try." This shows that this film, and perhaps Lonergan himself, greatly inspired her to become a filmmaker.

Lynn Shelton's Personal Life

Lynn Shelton was married to actor Kevin Seal. They had a son named Milo Seal. At the time of her passing, she was in a relationship with stand-up comedian Marc Maron.

Lynn Shelton's Legacy

Lynn Shelton passed away in Los Angeles on May 16, 2020, at the age of 54, after a short illness.

In 2020, the Northwest Film Forum and Duplass Brothers Productions created the Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” Grant. This special grant gives $25,000 to a woman or non-binary filmmaker in the U.S. who is 39 or older and has not yet directed a feature film. The grant is designed to help filmmakers who, like Shelton, started their directing careers later in life.

In August 2020, the American Cinematheque held an online event to honor Lynn Shelton. Many people attended, including actors like Gillian Jacobs, Kerry Washington, and Reese Witherspoon.

Filmography

Films directed by Lynn Shelton

Films with acting by Lynn Shelton

As a Film Editor

• Outpatient (2002)
• 8 Minutes to Love (2004)
• Afternoon Delight (2004)
• Hedda Gabler (2004)
• Hello (2005)
• We Go Way Back (2006)
• Diggers (2007)
• My Effortless Brilliance (2008)

As a Producer

• My Effortless Brilliance (2008)
• Humpday (2009)

Television directing credits for Lynn Shelton

As an Actor in TV

• Maron (2016): Sheila

Awards and Nominations

• 2008 – Genius Award for lifetime achievement from The Stranger newspaper

See also

In Spanish: Lynn Shelton para niños

• List of female film and television directors
• List of LGBT-related films directed by women