Katja Esson

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Katja Esson is a German-American filmmaker based in Miami, Florida. She was born and raised in Germany.[1][2]

Her documentary Ferry Tales received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 2004.[3] She is the only female German filmmaker ever nominated for a documentary at the Academy Awards.

Early life and education[edit]

Esson was born Katja Kümmerle, in Hamburg, Germany. After graduating from secondary school in Hamburg, she moved to the United States to study film,[1] earning a Bachelor in Motion Pictures and Theater at the University of Miami, Florida.[2]

Career[edit]

Esson began working in the film industry as a director's assistant on German features,[2] and a production assistant in Miami.[4] She moved to New York in 1994.[1] She was married to Cuban painter Tomas Esson.[5]

Since the year 2000, she has worked as a writer-director. Her documentaries have screened internationally on numerous festivals in the US,[6][7] Asia and Europe, and have won international awards.[2] In 2011, her film Poetry of Resilience won the award for Best Short Documentary at the Woodstock Film Festival.[8][9] In 2012, her film Skydancer was nominated for three awards at the Shanghai Television Festival (Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Camera).[4]

Her films have also been broadcast on PBS, HBO and channel Thirteen,[2] as well as Arte and ARD in Europe.[2][10][11]

In 2004, she started her own production company, Penelope Pictures.

In 2007, Esson received the Simons Public Humanities Fellowship[12] and was nominated for a Rockefeller Media Grant.[2]

Filmography[edit]

  • American Rivers (2016)
  • Backroads USA (2013)
  • Skydancer (2011)
  • Poetry of Resilience (2011).[13]
  • Latching On – The Politics of Breastfeeding (2010)
  • Hooker, Harlot, Whore – The Oldest Profession (2009)
  • A Season of Madness (2006)
  • Hole in the Sky – The Scars of 9/11 (2006) [14]
  • Ferry Tales (2003)
  • Vertical Traveler (2001)

Awards and nominations (selection)[edit]

  • 2012 nomination, Shanghai Film and TV Festival Magnolia Award for Best Documentary Skydancer (2011)[15]
  • 2011 Woodstock Film Festival Diane Seligman Award for Best Short Documentary: Poetry of Resilience (2011)[8]
  • 2009 US International Film and Video Festival Silver Screen Award: Hooker, Harlot, Whore – The Oldest Profession (2009)[16]
  • 2006 World Media Festival Gold Award: Hole in the Sky (2006)[2]
  • 2004 nomination, Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject): Ferry Tales (2003)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Klug, Hannes (2015). Schauplatz Film New York (in German). Regensburg: Bueckle & Boehm. ISBN 978-3941530256. p. 162–166
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Katja Esson" (in German). Above the Line. n.d. Archived from the original on 2015-12-19. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  3. ^ Ramsey, Nancy (Feb 12, 2004). "Sisterhood in a Floating Powder Room; An Oscar-Nominated Documentary Captures Life Aboard the Staten Island Ferry". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
  4. ^ a b "Katja Esson". Women Make Movies. n.d. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  5. ^ Kreye, Andrian (Feb 26, 2004). "Staten Island 08:15; Die Dokumentarfilmerin Katja Esson wurde für einen Oscar nominiert" (in German). Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Archived from the original on 2015-12-19. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  6. ^ "The Image Formed Short Highlights". Austin Chronicle, By Darcie Stevens, Oct. 20, 2006
  7. ^ "Screens String", Aug. 13, 2004 Austin Chronicle
  8. ^ a b "Poetry of Resilience; Directed by Katja Esson". Woodstock Film Festival. n.d. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  9. ^ Hall, Phil. "POETRY OF RESILIENCE". Film Threat
  10. ^ "Backroads" (in German). Arte TV. n.d. Archived from the original on 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  11. ^ "TV-Regisseurin: New Yorkern fehlt Ort zum Trauern; ARD zeigt Dokumentation zum 11. September 2001" (in German). Deutschlandfunk. Sep 6, 2006. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  12. ^ "Simons Public Humanities Fellowship". The Hall Center for the Humanities. n.d. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  13. ^ "THE 12th WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL". Filmmaker Magazine
  14. ^ "TV-Vorschau Frozen Angels". Der Spiegel. Spiegel Online. 3 September 2006. 04.09.2006
  15. ^ "Skydancer". Women Make Movies. n.d. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  16. ^ "US International Film & Video Festival Award Winners". US International Film & Video Festival. n.d. Retrieved 2015-12-21.

External links[edit]

Further reading[edit]

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