Robert Zemeckis
Birth Name:
Robert Lee Zemeckis
Birth Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Profession
Producer, Director, Writer, Actor
Fast Facts
- Received a Student Academy Award at the University of Southern California for his student film "A Field of Honor․"
- Received the Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award from the American Cinema Editors in 2001
- First became interested in filmmaking after seeing 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" and being moved by the death of Gene Hackman's character
- Started making films in high school when he would capture family events on his parents' 8 mm film camera
- Quote: "From where I sit I see the digital cinema creating sloppiness on the part of filmmakers because they know if they really get in trouble, they can fix it later․"
- Quote: "[on "Cast Away"] "The story is not so much about the survival of a human being, but rather the survival of the human spirit and an illustration of the idea that surviving is easy, it's living that's difficult․""
- Often collaborates with Steven Spielberg, who served as his mentor and produced his first six films
- Best known as the director of the "Back to the Future" trilogy, "Cast Away" and "Forrest Gump․"
- Is a trained pilot with more than 1,600 hours of flight time, which influenced his 2012 film "Flight․"
- Originally developed "Cocoon," but was fired by studio executives one year into the project
Awards
- 1985Jupiter Award - Best International Film:Nominated
- 1985Young Venice Award - Special MentionWinner
- 1986Oscar - Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:Nominated
- 1986Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1986BAFTA Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
- 1986BAFTA Film Award - Best Screenplay - Original:Nominated
- 1986David - Best Foreign Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura Straniera):Winner
- 1986Golden Globe - Best Screenplay - Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1986Hugo - Best Dramatic Presentation:Winner
- 1986Jupiter Award - Best International Film:Winner
- 1986WGA Award (Screen) - Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:Nominated
- 1988Top 10 Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
- 1988Special AwardWinner
- 1988Children and Cinema Award - Special MentionWinner
- 1989CFCA Award - Best Director:Winner
- 1989César - Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger):Nominated
- 1989DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
- 1989Hugo - Best Dramatic Presentation:Winner
- 1989Jupiter Award - Best International Film:Winner
- 1989Rosa de Sant Jordi Audience Award - Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera):Winner
- 1990Saturn Award - Best Director:Winner
- 1990Jupiter Award - Best International Film:Nominated
- 1991Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1991Hugo - Best Dramatic Presentation:Nominated
- 1993Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1993CableACE - Dramatic Series:Nominated
- 1994ACCA - Best Director:Nominated
- 1994CableACE - Dramatic Series:Nominated
- 1995Oscar - Best Director:Winner
- 1995Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1995Amanda - Best Foreign Feature Film (Årets utenlandske spillefilm):Winner
- 1995BAFTA Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
- 1995David Lean Award for DirectionNominated
- 1995CableACE - Directing a Dramatic Special or Series:Nominated
- 1995CableACE - Dramatic Series:Nominated
- 1995CableACE - Dramatic Series:Nominated
- 1995CFCA Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1995Czech Lion - Best Foreign Language Film (Nejlepsí zahranicní film):Winner
- 1995DFWFCA Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1995David - Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero):Nominated
- 1995DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Winner
- 1995Golden Globe - Best Director - Motion Picture:Winner
- 1995Guldbagge - Best Foreign Film (Bästa utländska film):Nominated
- 1996CINE Golden Eagle - Broadcast Division: Entertainment - Drama:Winner
- 1996Golden Rooster - Best Foreign Language Film:Winner
- 1997Daytime Emmy - Outstanding Audience Participation Show/Game Show:Nominated
- 1998Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 1998Hugo - Best Dramatic Presentation:Winner
- 1998OFTA Film Award - Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Picture:Winner
- 2000Sierra Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 2001Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 2001CFCA Award - Best Director:Nominated
- 2001Christopher Award - Feature Films:Winner
- 2001Yoga Award - Worst Foreign Film:Winner
- 2003DVD Premiere Award - Best Audio Commentary, Library Release:Nominated
- 2005BAFTA Children's Award - Best Feature Film:Nominated
- 2005INOCA - Best Animated Feature:Nominated
- 2005OFTA Film Award - Best Animated Picture:Nominated
- 2006Felix - Best Director:Nominated
- 2006Felix - Best Original Screenplay:Winner
- 2007Rondo Statuette - Best Movie:Nominated
- 2009Felix - Best Director:Nominated
- 2012Founder's AwardWinner
- 2013Black Reel - Best Film:Nominated
- 2013Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia CinemaNominated
- 2013Director of the Year AwardWinner
- 2023PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures:Nominated
- 2023Razzie Award - Worst Director:Nominated
- 2023Razzie Award - Worst Screenplay:Nominated
- 2023Razzie Award - Worst Picture:Nominated
- 2025Golden Rooster - Best Foreign Language Film:Nominated