Thelma Schoonmaker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thelma Schoonmaker
Schoonmaker in 2023
Born	Thelma Colbert Schoonmaker (1940-01-03) January 3, 1940 (age 85) Algiers, Algeria
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Cornell University
Occupation	Film editor
Years active	1966–present
Spouse(s)	Michael Powell ​ ​ (m. 1984; his death 1990)​

Thelma Schoonmaker (born January 3, 1940) is a famous American film editor. She is best known for working with director Martin Scorsese for over 50 years! A film editor is like a storyteller who puts all the movie scenes together to make the film flow perfectly. Thelma has won many awards, including three Academy Awards (also known as Oscars), two BAFTA Awards, and four ACE Eddie Awards. She has also received special honors for her amazing career, like the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2014.

Thelma started working with Martin Scorsese on his very first movie, Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967). She has edited all of his films since Raging Bull (1980). She holds the record for the most nominations for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing with nine! She won three times for Raging Bull, The Aviator (2004), and The Departed (2006). She also has 11 nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Editing, winning twice for Raging Bull and Goodfellas (1990).

Thelma's Early Life and Education

Thelma Schoonmaker was born on January 3, 1940, in Algiers, which was then part of French Algeria. Her parents, Thelma and Bertram Schoonmaker, were American. Her father worked for the Standard Oil Company and traveled a lot for his job.

Growing Up Around the World

During World War II, Thelma's family moved back to the United States. In 1941, they moved to the Dutch-Caribbean island of Aruba. Thelma grew up mostly in Aruba, in a community with people from all over the world. She also spent some of her childhood in Portugal.

Moving to the United States

Thelma didn't live in the United States until she was 15 years old in 1955. She found American culture very different at first. She settled in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and finished high school there in 1957.

Studying at Cornell University

In 1957, Thelma went to Cornell University. She wanted to work in international diplomacy, which means working with different countries. She studied political science and the Russian language. After graduating in 1961, she tried to get a job with the U.S. government. Thelma had strong beliefs about fairness and peace, which meant she didn't get the job she wanted.

Thelma's Amazing Career in Film

Thelma's journey into film editing began when she saw an advertisement for an assistant film editor. She got the job, which involved cutting parts out of classic European films to make them shorter for TV.

Meeting Martin Scorsese

Thelma took a short filmmaking course at New York University. There, she met a young filmmaker named Martin Scorsese. He was having trouble finishing his short film. Thelma helped him fix it. This led to her editing Scorsese's first full-length movie, Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967).

Editing Woodstock and Oscar Nomination

Thelma got her first big movie credit when she and Scorsese helped edit the famous music festival documentary, Woodstock (1970). She was even nominated for an Oscar for her work! This was a big deal because it was the first time a documentary had been nominated in that category. Thelma used special techniques like superimposition (layering images) and freeze frames (stopping the action on screen). These techniques made the film exciting and helped show that documentary filmmaking could be a true art form.

Joining the Film Union

In the early days, it was hard for Thelma to work on big movies because she wasn't part of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, a special union for film editors. To join, she needed many years of experience as an apprentice and assistant. Thelma felt this wasn't fair since she was already an Oscar nominee.

Working on Raging Bull

In the 1980s, with help from Martin Scorsese, Thelma finally joined the union. They worked together on the classic sports movie Raging Bull. Her editing on this film was considered amazing, and she won her first Oscar for it! When she accepted the award, she thanked Marty Scorsese, saying he "edited this film with me every minute of the time."

Thelma's Personal Life

Thelma was introduced to Michael Powell, a famous film director, by Martin Scorsese. They got married on May 19, 1984. Michael Powell passed away in 1990. They did not have any children.

Thelma Schoonmaker and Columba Powell at the Cannes Film Festival (2009). Columba Powell is the son of Michael Powell, a prominent film director to whom Schoonmaker was married.

Since Michael Powell's death, Thelma has worked hard to keep his films and legacy alive. She helps make sure his movies are preserved and remembered. She often talks about how much she loves his films, like The Red Shoes and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.

Thelma's Filmography

Thelma Schoonmaker has edited many films and TV shows. Here are some of the movies she has worked on:

Film Editing Work

Television Work

Thelma's Awards and Honors

Thelma Schoonmaker is one of the most awarded film editors in history. She has won three Oscars for Best Film Editing, tying the record with other great editors. She also holds the record for the most nominations in that category, with nine! She is the first woman to win multiple film editing Oscars.

Top Edited Films

In 2012, the Motion Picture Editors Guild (a group for film editors) listed the 75 best-edited films of all time. Three films edited by Thelma made the list, all directed by Martin Scorsese:

• Raging Bull (1980) – ranked first!
• Goodfellas (1990) – ranked fifteenth
• Hugo (2011) – ranked sixty-ninth

Major Awards

Here are some of the main awards Thelma has won or been nominated for:

Academy Awards

BAFTA Awards

Emmy Awards

Other Awards and Honors

Thelma has received many other awards from different film groups:

Special Honors

Thelma has also received many special honors for her lifetime of work:

Honorary Degrees

Thelma has also received special degrees from universities:

See also

In Spanish: Thelma Schoonmaker para niños

• List of film director and editor collaborations