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Jonathan Demme Biography

Birth Name:Robert Jonathan Demme

Birth Place:Baldwin, Long Island, New York, United States

Profession Director, Producer, Writer, Actor, Cinematographer, Assistant director, Camera department, Composer, Sound department, Music department

Fast Facts

  • Was named to the Board of Directors at the Jacob Burnes Film Center in New York
  • Originally aspiring to become a veterinarian, he worked at animal clinics as a teenager
  • Known for creating films based on controversial subject matters
  • Often collaborates with Charles Napier, Chris Isaak, Tracey Walter and Paul Lazar in his films
  • Along with Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, he is a member of the steering committee of the Friends of the Apollo Theatre in Oberlin, Ohio
  • In 1990, he received an honorary degree from Wesleyan University

Awards

  • 1980NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1980Golden Lion-: nominated
  • 1981NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1985Grand Prix-: winner
  • 1987Critics Award-: nominated
  • 1988Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1991Silver Scream Award-: winner
  • 1991ACCA-Best Director: winner
  • 1991Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
  • 1991Silver Berlin Bear-Best Director: winner
  • 1991BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1991Hochi Film Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
  • 1991KCFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1991NBR Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1991NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1992ASECAN Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1992Oscar-Best Director: winner
  • 1992Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1992BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: nominated
  • 1992BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1992Blue Ribbon Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
  • 1992Un Certain Regard Award-: nominated
  • 1992CFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1992César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): nominated
  • 1992DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1992DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: winner
  • 1992Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1992Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
  • 1992ALFS Award-Director of the Year: nominated
  • 1992NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1993ACCA-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
  • 1993ACCA-Best Motion Picture: winner
  • 1994Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
  • 1994CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1997Pare Lorentz Award-: winner
  • 1998OFTA Film Award-Best Documentary Picture: nominated
  • 2002ACCA-Best Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2003Gold Plaque-Best Documentary: winner
  • 2003Grand Jury Prize-Documentary Features - World Cinema Competition: nominated
  • 2003OFTA Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
  • 2003PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2004Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Documentary: winner
  • 2004Honorable Mention-Documentary Film: winner
  • 2005Black Reel-Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Film: nominated
  • 2007Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Documentary: nominated
  • 2007Venice Horizons Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2007Biografilm Award-: winner
  • 2007EIUC Award-: winner
  • 2007FIPRESCI Prize-Parallel Sections: winner
  • 2008TFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2008Golden Lion-: nominated
  • 2009Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2009Independent Spirit Award-Best Feature: nominated
  • 2009Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2011Venice Horizons Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2012Felix-Best Director: winner
  • 2013CinemaXXI Award-: nominated
  • 2014Felix-Best Director: nominated
  • 2014Film and Literature Award-: nominated
  • 2015Variety Piazza Grande Award-: nominated
  • 2018Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: nominated