Deepa Mehta, 04/16/07
Title:
2007 Oscar Nominee Named Cosgrove Distinguished
Visiting Artist
Header:
2007 Academy Award nominee Deepa Mehta
has been named inaugural Cosgrove Family Endowment Distinguished Visiting
Artist at LMU’s School of Film and Television.
Feature:
Deepa Mehta, whose film “Water”
received an Academy Award® nomination for 2007 Best Foreign Language
Film, will serve as the inaugural Cosgrove Family Endowment Distinguished
Visiting Artist at the Loyola Marymount University School of Film and
Television (SFTV). The announcement was made by SFTV Dean Teri Schwartz.
Mehta’s appointment is for the 2006-2007
and 2007-2008 academic years. During that time she will conduct master
classes with an emphasis on humanistic visual storytelling for film.
In addition, Mehta will mentor SFTV students and give them a comprehensive
look at creating deeply engaging and transformational films on the international
stage.
“Deepa Mehta is one of the most significant
and important humanistic writer/directors working in film today,”
Schwartz says. “We believe the appointment of Ms. Mehta as our inaugural
Cosgrove Distinguished Visiting Artist greatly honors the spirit of
the Cosgrove Family Endowment. It is a strong reflection of the
Cosgrove's humanistic vision and generosity, as well as their deep commitment
to diversity, our LMU School of Film and Television, and the entire
filmmaking community.”
Schwartz says the Cosgrove Family Endowment,
with its emphasis on humanism and diversity, helps enrich the SFTV and
LMU experience for faculty, students, staff and alumni alike.
“We have the opportunity to leverage
the multifaceted potential of SFTV and foster our vision for visual
storytelling grounded in humanism, innovation and diversity by creating
distinguished programs and alliances that enhance our presence throughout
the global creative community,” Schwartz explains. “Deepa
Mehta is a profoundly gifted filmmaker and person of conscience.
She is the perfect filmmaker to enrich our community and join us in
achieving our goals of excellence on this international stage. We are
proud and delighted to welcome her to LMU's School of Film and Television."
Deepa Mehta was born in India and received
a degree in philosophy from the University of New Delhi.
In 1991, Mehta produced and directed
her first feature film “Sam & Me,” which won the very first
Honorable Mention by the Critics in the Camera D'Or category in the
1991 Cannes Film Festival.
In 1992-93, she directed two one-hour
episodes of the “Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” produced by George
Lucas for ABC Television. In 1993, she directed her second feature film,
“Camilla.”
“Fire,” written, directed and produced
by Mehta, was her third feature film, based on an original screenplay.
The film was released in 1996 and won 14 international festival awards
including Best Picture in Chicago and Los Angeles.
“Earth,” based on Bapsi Sidhwa's
critically acclaimed novel, “Cracking India,” was the second film
in Mehta's trilogy of the elements. “Earth” won the Prix Premiere
du Public at the Festival du film Asiatique de Deauville, France in
March 1999 and the Critics' Award at the Schermi d'Amore International
Film Festival, Italy, in April of the same year.
Mehta’s film, “Bollywood Hollywood,”
opened the Perspective Canada Program at the 2002 Toronto International
Film Festival and upon release, became one of the top 10 grossing English
Canadian movies.
In 2003, Mehta co-wrote and directed
“Republic of Love,” based on the novel of the same title by the
world-renowned author, Carol Shields. In the same year, Mehta
won the prestigious CineAsia “Best Director” Award -- an acclaim
awarded to Steven Spielberg in 2002.
2007 Academy Award® nominated “Water,”
the final film in the elements trilogy, opened the 2005 Toronto International
Film Festival. “Water” has played many film festivals in North America
and internationally, winning awards in Sudbury, Edmonton, Spain, Bangkok
and San Francisco. It received the Taormina Arte Awards for Cinematic
Excellence in 2006, as well as the Golden Kinnaree Awards for Best Picture
from the Bangkok International Film Festival. The film was nominated
for nine Genie Awards and won three.