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James Wan Biography

Birth Name:James Wan

Birth Place:Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Profession Producer, Writer, Director, Editor, Actor, Assistant director

Fast Facts

  • Won the Best Guerrilla Film award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival for his first feature film
  • Studied film at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
  • Quote: "I went to an art college where I focused on filmmaking․ In my opinion, it was better than film school because as an art institution, they foster creative freedom and expression․"
  • Quote: "Ever since I was 11-years-old, I wanted to become a filmmaker․ Even as a kid I appreciated the medium because it allowed me to utilize every aspect of art to tell a story․"
  • Best known for co-creating the film "Saw․"
  • Has frequently collaborated with screenwriter Leign Whannell
  • Well known for his work on horror films

Awards

  • 2004Audience Award-Best Feature: winner
  • 2005Pegasus Audience Award-: winner
  • 2005International Fantasy Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2005Special Jury Prize-: winner
  • 2005Youth Jury Grand Prize-: winner
  • 2009Top Film-Top 10 Key Films of the Noughties: winner
  • 2011Fright Meter Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2011Titra Film Award-: winner
  • 2011Narcisse Award-Best Feature Film: nominated
  • 2011Rondo Statuette-Best Film: nominated
  • 2011Audience Award-Midnight Feature: nominated
  • 2011Official Fantàstic Competition-Best Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2013Fright Meter Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2013Fright Meter Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2013Hollywood Movie Award-: nominated
  • 2013Rondo Statuette-Best Film: nominated
  • 2013Rondo Statuette-Best Film: winner
  • 2014Chainsaw Award-Best Wide-Release Film: winner
  • 2014Chainsaw Award-Best Wide-Release Film: nominated
  • 2015Guinness World Record-Fastest time for a movie to gross $1bn at the global box office: winner
  • 2015Hollywood Movie Award-: winner
  • 2015Hollywood Blockbuster Award-: winner
  • 2016Fright Meter Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2016Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema-: nominated
  • 2017iHorror Award-Best Horror Director: winner
  • 2019Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2019Dragon Award-Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie: nominated
  • 2021HCA Award-Best Horror Film: nominated
  • 2021IFJA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2022BloodGuts UK Horror Award-Best Original Film: nominated
  • 2024Chainsaw Award-Best Screenplay: nominated