Ursula Meier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ursula Meier
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Meier in 2012
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| Born | 24 June 1971 Besançon, France
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| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter |
Ursula Meier (born June 24, 1971) is a talented film director and screenwriter. She is from both France and Switzerland. She is known for making movies that explore interesting human stories.
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Ursula Meier's Journey in Film
Ursula Meier grew up in Besançon, a city in eastern France close to Switzerland. She studied at the Institute of Visual Arts in Belgium. Early in her career, she worked as an assistant director. She helped Swiss director Alain Tanner on his films Fourbi (1996) and Jonas et Lila, à demain (1999).
Early Success with Short Films
Ursula Meier started gaining recognition for her short films.
- Her 1998 short film, Des heures sans sommeil (Sleepless), won a special award at the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival. It also received the International Grand Prize at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival.
- In 2002, her film Tous à table (Table Manners) won the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. It was also nominated for a Swiss Film Prize for Best Short Film.
Making Feature Films
In 2003, Ursula Meier was a judge at the Brest European Short Film Festival. That same year, her TV movie Strong Shoulders won an award at the Avanca Film Festival in Portugal. It was also nominated for the Swiss Film Prize as best feature film. She traveled to New York City to introduce Strong Shoulders at the New Directors/New Films Festival.
Home and Sister Gain Attention
Six years later, her film Home was also shown at the New Directors/New Films Festival. She returned to New York to introduce the film's premiere. Home first showed at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008.
Her 2012 film L'enfant d'en haut (Sister) was a big success. It premiered at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and won the Special Award - Silver Bear. Sister was also chosen to represent Switzerland for the Best Foreign Language Oscar.
Recent Work and Recognition
In 2013, Ursula Meier was a jury member at the 35th Moscow International Film Festival. She also contributed to the film Bridges of Sarajevo in 2014. This film featured work from many famous directors.
In 2018, she led the jury for the Caméra d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. This award celebrates the best first feature film. She also supported the Locarno International Film Festival's pledge for gender equality in film.
Her most recent feature film, The Line (La Ligne), premiered in 2022. It was shown in competition at the Berlin Film Festival.
Films Directed and Written by Ursula Meier
Feature Films
- 2000: Autour de Pinget (a documentary)
- 2002: Strong Shoulders (a made-for-TV movie)
- 2008: Home
- 2012: L'enfant d'en haut (Sister)
- 2014: Bridges of Sarajevo (a documentary)
- 2017: Shock Waves – Diary of My Mind (part of a mini-series)
- 2022: The Line (La Ligne)
Short Films
- 1994: À corps perdu (To the Lost Body)
- 1998: Des heures sans sommeil (Sleepless)
- 2001: Tous à table (Table Manners)
- 2015: Kacey Mottet Klein, Naissance d'un acteur (Kacey Mottet Klein, Birth of an actor)
Awards and Nominations
For Kacey Mottet Klein, Naissance d'un acteur:
- Swiss Film Award for best short film
- Grand Prix Award for Short Documentary at the Cork International Film Festival
- Audience Choice - Top 10 International short film at the Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
- Professional Jury Prize at Plein la Bobine - Festival International de Cinéma Jeunes Publics du Massif du Sancy
- Youth Jury Prize - Live-action Short Film at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival
For Home:
- Best Director award at the Festival du Film Francophone d'Angoulême
- Swiss Film Award for best feature film and best screenplay
- Nominated for a César for Best first feature film
- Nominated for Best Film at Argentina's Mar del Plata Film Festival
- Best Screenplay at the Festival International du Cinéma d'Auteur de Rabat
- Grand Prize of the city of Athènes at the Festival du film francophone Athens
- ADF Award Best Photographer at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Mar del Plata
- FIPRESCI Award at the Reykjavik International Film Festival
- SACD New Talent Cinema Prize in Paris
- Audience Award at Mostra internacional de films de dones
- FIPRESCI Award at the Flying Broom Women's Film Festival
For L'enfant d'en haut (Sister):
- Silver Bear - Special Award at the Berlin International Film Festival
- Swiss Film Award for best feature film, best screenplay, and best actor (Kasey Mottet Klein)
- Nominated for a César for Best male newcomer (Kacey Mottet Klein)
- Best feature film at the Trophées Francophones du Cinéma Dakar
- Zurich Film Award
- The Golden Athena Award at the Athens International Film Festival
- Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film at the Denver Film Festival
- "Luciano Emmer" Critics Award at the Trento Film Festival
- Prix FIPRESCI at the Ljubljana International Film Festival
- Fünf Seen Filmpreis at the Fünf Seen Filmfestival
- Jury Award for Best Cinematography at the Sevilla Festival de Cine Europeo
- Best actress (Léa Seydoux) at the Festival du Film de Cabourg
See also
In Spanish: Ursula Meier para niños
