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Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović

Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
Born (1985-09-27) September 27, 1985 (age 39)
NationalityCroatian
Occupation(s)Director, Writer
WorksMurina, Into the Blue
Children1

Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović (born 27 September 1985) is a Croatian film director and writer. She has won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival and Sarajevo Film Festival.

Her first feature film Murina premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and won the Caméra d'or for best first feature film.[1][2]

Early life and education

Kusijanović grew up in Dubrovnik and studied film, theater, and producing at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb.[3][4] She continued her education at Columbia University and received an MFA in screenwriting and directing.[5][6][7] She was a child actor in Croatia starting at age 6 and in middle school was a foreign exchange student in Canada.[7]

Career

Kusijanović began making short films and music videos in the early 2010s.[8] She moved to New York, attended Colombia University and shot her short film and graduate thesis, Into the Blue (U plavetnilo).[9]

Into the Blue (U plavetnilo) was released to much acclaim winning awards at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival and it was nominated for a student Academy Award.[2][10][11] It’s success lead to Martin Scorsese coming on board as an executive producer for her first feature film Murina.[12]

Kusijanovic expanded on the themes of Into the Blue, including adolescence and gender, in Murina, rehiring the same lead actor, Gracija Filipović.[13] Kusijanovic wrote the role in Murina specifically for Filipoviç and has known her since Filipoviç was nine, saying "... the relationship was more mothering back then and over the years it grew into friendship and then real collaboration.”[13][8][14]

Kusijanovic latest project is a short film Stane, commissioned by Miu Miu for the companies “Women’s Tales” series.[15] It stars another Murina actress, Danica Curcic.[15]

Personal Life

Kusijanović is married and has one son who she gave birth to shortly before winning the Caméra d'or in 2021.[7]

Awards

  • 2021 Winner - Cannes Film Festival - Caméra d'or (Golden Camera)[2]
  • 2017 Winner - Sarajevo Film Festival - Heart of Sarajevo - Best Short Film (director)[16]
  • 2017 Winner - Berlin Film Festival - Special Mention of the Generation 14 plus International Jury - Best Short Film[10]

Nominations

Her student film "Into The Blue," was nominated for a student Oscar in 2017.[11]

She was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-time Feature Film Director by the Directors Guild of America for her film Murina.[6][17]

Filmography

Directed

  • 2014: Nonina
  • 2014: Jelka (Christmas tree), short film
  • 2015: Oko za Oko (Eye for an Eye), short film
  • 2016: If We Must Die, short film
  • 2017: Into the Blue ( U plavetnilo ), short film [4]
  • 2021: Murina, feature film
  • 2023: Stane, Short[18]

References

  1. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (2021-06-08). "Cannes: Directors' Fortnight Lineup Includes Films From Clio Barnard, Alice Rohrwacher, Joanna Hogg – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  2. ^ a b c "All the 74th Festival de Cannes Awards". Festival de Cannes. 2021-07-17. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  3. ^ Lizotte, Chloe. "INTO THE BLUE a film by ANTONETA ALAMAT KUSIJANOVIĆ". Le Cinéma Club. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  4. ^ a b "| Berlinale | Archive | Programme | Programme". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  5. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (2021-08-03). "Cannes Camera D'Or Winner Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic Signs With UTA & Brillstein Entertainment Group". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  6. ^ a b Amin, Aisha (February 13, 2023). "Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic '17 Nominated for a DGA Award". Colombia University School of Arts.
  7. ^ a b c Keslassy, Elsa (2022-03-16). "Cannes Winner Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic on Her Coming of Age as Filmmaker, Feminist and Mother After 'Murina'". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
  8. ^ a b Lodderhose, Diana (2021-07-12). "'Murina' Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic & Actor Gracija Filipovic On Their Collaborative History – Cannes Studio". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  9. ^ "| Berlinale | Archive | Programme | Programme". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  10. ^ a b "Awards "antoneta alamat kusijanovic"". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  11. ^ a b "Meet the 2017 Student Academy Awards Finalists | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". www.oscars.org. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  12. ^ Kouguell, Susan (2022-07-08). "Interview with Camera D'Or Cannes Film Festival Winner, 'Murina' Writer and Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic". Script Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  13. ^ a b Light, Jo (2022-07-07). ""If It's Not Important to Tell, You Should Really Not Be Losing Time and Money Doing It"—Chatting 'Murina' with Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović | No Film School". nofilmschool.com. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  14. ^ Kino Lober (Feb 15, 2023). "Murina – James Cameron and Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović in Conversation".
  15. ^ a b Rothery, Madeleine (2023-10-05). "Director Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović Sees Humanity in Fashion". W Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  16. ^ "23rd Sarajevo Film Festival Awards". sff.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  17. ^ "DGA Announces Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2022 - Nominees for First-Time Theatrical Feature Film Director Category Also Named". www.dga.org. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  18. ^ "Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović". MUBI. Retrieved 2024-11-11.