Nanette Burstein facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nanette Burstein
Nanette Burstein, 2020
Born	Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Tisch School of the Arts
Occupation	Director, producer, screenwriter
Years active	1997–present
Children	1

Nanette Burstein is an American film and television director. She is known for making many interesting documentaries. A documentary is a type of film that tells a true story about real people or events. Nanette has produced, directed, and helped direct several films, including On the Ropes, which was nominated for an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar). It also won a special prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Who is Nanette Burstein?

Nanette Burstein is a talented filmmaker who brings real-life stories to the screen. She has worked on both movies and TV shows. Her work often focuses on telling true stories in a way that helps people understand different parts of the world.

Early Life and Film Studies

Nanette Burstein was born in Buffalo, New York, in the United States. She loved films and decided to study filmmaking. She attended Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (NYU). This school is famous for teaching students how to make movies.

Making Award-Winning Documentaries

Nanette Burstein has created many documentaries that have won awards and been praised by critics. She often spends a lot of time researching and filming to make her stories accurate and engaging.

On the Ropes (1999)

In 1997, Nanette worked with Brett Morgen on her first major film, On the Ropes. This documentary followed the lives of three young boxers and their coach. It showed their challenges and dreams. The film was a big success! It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary. It also won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, which is a very important film festival. The Directors Guild of America also gave her an award for her excellent directing.

Exploring History and Biographies

Nanette continued to make powerful films. In 1998, she helped write a documentary called In the Name of the Emperor. This film, made with Nancy Tong, explored a difficult historical event from 1937, focusing on the impact of war.

In 2002, Nanette teamed up with Brett Morgen again. They made a film called The Kid Stays in the Picture. This movie was a biography, which means it told the life story of a real person, in this case, a famous film producer named Robert Evans. Critics loved the film, and it won several awards for Best Documentary.

Documenting Teen Life in American Teen

One of Nanette's most well-known documentaries is American Teen, released in 2008. For this project, she moved to a small town in Indiana for 10 months. She filmed the daily lives of several high school students. She gathered over 1000 hours of footage! It took her a whole year to edit it all into the final movie. The film was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It gave viewers a real look into what it's like to be a teenager in America.

Television Work and Other Projects

Besides feature films, Nanette Burstein has also worked on television projects. In 2004, she produced a TV show called Film School for IFC. This show followed four film students as they learned their craft.

In 2007, she was an executive producer and writer for NY77: The Coolest Year In Hell. This TV documentary explored the exciting music and art scene in New York City in 1977. It showed how hip hop, punk, disco, and graffiti art became popular.

Nanette is also a mother to one daughter. She lives in New York City.

Nanette Burstein's Filmography

Here is a list of some of the films and TV shows Nanette Burstein has worked on: