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Curtis Hanson Biography

Birth Name:Curtis Lee Hanson

Birth Place:Reno, Nevada, United States

Profession Director, Producer, Writer, Actor

Fast Facts

Became a member of the Directors Branch of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2001
Was the UCLA Film and Television Archive's first chairman
Worked as a freelance photographer and editor for "Cinema" magazine after dropping out of high school
Quote: "For me all good stories are about awareness․ Self-awareness and lack of it, of how you get there and how you might fail to get there․"
Quote: "Sure I believe people can change, and change for the better․ I mean if you don't believe that then what are you left with?"
Characters often watch or discuss movies from the Golden Age of Cinema in his films
His films often explore themes of racial mixing and the crossing of boundaries
His father taught public school in Los Angeles, and sometimes former students would approach Curtis with kind words about the man
Stated that he was influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and Nicholas Ray
Believed that movies should speak for themselves instead of being defined by commentary from their creators

Awards

1990Critics Award-: nominated
1990Best Film-: winner
1992Grand Prix-: winner
1992Audience Award-: winner
1997ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
1997ACCA-Best Director: nominated
1997BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
1997BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1997Palme d'Or-: nominated
1997LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1997LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1997NBR Award-Best Director: winner
1997NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1997NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1997SDFCS Award-Best Director: winner
1997SDFCS Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
1997STFC Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
1997Metro Media Award-: winner
1998Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published: winner
1998Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1998Oscar-Best Picture: nominated
1998Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
1998Best Foreign Film Award-: winner
1998David Lean Award for Direction-: nominated
1998BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: nominated
1998BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: nominated
1998Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): winner
1998CFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1998CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998Chlotrudis Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: winner
1998Critics Choice Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
1998DFWFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1998DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1998Edgar-Best Motion Picture: winner
1998FFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998FFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1998Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1998Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
1998Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
1998Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1998Sierra Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: winner
1998ALFS Award-Director of the Year: winner
1998NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Drama Picture: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
1998OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: winner
1998OFCS Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1998OFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
1998PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
1998Rosa de Sant Jordi Audience Award-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1998Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Motion Picture, Drama: nominated
1998SEFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
1998SEFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1998TFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1998USC Scripter Award-: winner
1998WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published: winner
1999Blue Ribbon Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1999Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film Director: winner
1999Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1999Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1999Mainichi Film Concours-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2001PFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2002Screen International Award-: nominated
2005WFCC Award-Best Movie About Women: winner
2011OFTA Television Award-Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Miniseries or Movie: nominated
2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
2018Felix-Best Director: nominated
2018Felix-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner