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Peter Weir Biography

Birth Name:Peter Lindsay Weir

Birth Place:Sydney, Australia

Profession Director, Writer, Producer

Fast Facts

  • Was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to the film industry in 1982
  • Worked as a production assistant for a Sydney television station and used its facilities in his off time to make his first two films, experimental shorts called "Count Vim's Last Exercise" and "The Life and Flight of Reverend Buckshotte․"
  • Quote: "I loved Sherlock Holmes as a kid, but I remember being disappointed when he'd come up with these simple explanations for these complex mysteries․ I always was fascinated by the mystery itself, as opposed to the answer behind it․"
  • Has directed several comic or genre actors in dramatic roles, including Harrison Ford in "The Mosquito Coast," Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society" and Jim Carey in "The Truman Show․"
  • His films, "Picnic at Hanging Rock," "The Last Wave" and "Gallipoli" made him one of the leaders of the Australian New Wave cinema movement
  • Has stated that "The White Ribbon" is one of his favorite films
  • Loves to read, and has cited "Hope Against Hope" by Nadezhda Mandel'shtam, "My Century" by Aleksander Wat and "Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen as three of his favorite books

Awards

  • 1974Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
  • 1976AFI Award-Best Direction: nominated
  • 1976Golden Charybdis-: winner
  • 1978AFI Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
  • 1978AFI Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1978Special Jury Award-: winner
  • 1978Grand Prize-: nominated
  • 1980Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1981AFI Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1983AFI Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
  • 1983AFI Award-Jury Award: winner
  • 1983AFI Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1983Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 1984WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
  • 1985Hochi Film Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
  • 1986Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1986BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1986Blue Ribbon Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
  • 1986DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 1986Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1986Jupiter Award-Best International Film: nominated
  • 1986Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
  • 1990Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1990Golden Reel-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1990BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: winner
  • 1990BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: nominated
  • 1990David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): winner
  • 1990David-Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regista Straniero): nominated
  • 1990DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 1990Golden Ciak-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): winner
  • 1990Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1990Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
  • 1990Audience Award-: winner
  • 1991Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
  • 1991Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
  • 1991César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): winner
  • 1991Guild Film Award - Gold-Foreign Film (Ausländischer Film): winner
  • 1991Jupiter Award-Best International Film: winner
  • 1991WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
  • 1992BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Original: nominated
  • 1994Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
  • 1998ACCA-Best Director: nominated
  • 1998Screen International Award-: winner
  • 1998Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
  • 1999Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1999Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1999Best Foreign Film Award-: nominated
  • 1999David Lean Award for Direction-: winner
  • 1999CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1999Robert-Best American Film (Årets amerikanske film): winner
  • 1999DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 1999FFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1999Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
  • 1999Girona Film Critics Award-Best Picture: winner
  • 1999Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1999Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation: winner
  • 1999Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
  • 1999ALFS Award-Director of the Year: winner
  • 1999OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1999OFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1999Premio Guarani-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1999SEFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2003WAFCA Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
  • 2003WAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004Oscar-Best Picture: nominated
  • 2004David Lean Award for Direction-: winner
  • 2004BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2004CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
  • 2004DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2004Empire Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004Gold Derby Film Award-Director: nominated
  • 2004Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2004INOCA-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2004Sierra Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: winner
  • 2004ALFS Award-Director of the Year: nominated
  • 2004OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
  • 2004OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2004PFCS Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
  • 2004PFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2004USC Scripter Award-: nominated
  • 2012CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - Audience Award: winner
  • 2012CinEuphoria-Freedom of Expression - Honorary Award: winner
  • 2012CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - International Competition: winner