Martina Amati
Martina Amati | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 May 1969 Milan, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, artist |
| Spouse | Charles Steel |
Martina Amati (born 14 May 1969) is an Italian BAFTA[1] winning filmmaker and artist. Her work is known for underwater and gravity defying scenes.
Early years
Amati studied at the Brera Academy in Milan. Upon graduation her work was selected for the first Salon Primo di Brera. Following this, curator Andrea Lissoni invited her to exhibit her video Little Swimming Woman at 'Traslochi', it:Palazzo dell'Arengario, Milan. At this time, after an offer from MTV Europe, She moved to London, to take the position as On Air Producer.
Work
After making many MTV Title Sequences and Promos and working in a team that designed MTV Italy, Amati returned to create her own work, with Altitude, a travel documentary following actor Joseph Fiennes across Tibet, presented at the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, Wales. She subsequently made two short documentaries commissioned by Discovery Channel, Liquidman, screened at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival[2] and Tapeman.
In 2008 Amati moved into drama with three short films that premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and Berlinale film festivals. With her short dramas Amati won a BAFTA (I Do Air[3]), a BAFTA Los Angeles Certificate of Excellence (A' Mare), and received another BAFTA nomination in 2012 for Chalk, which also won the BIFA alongside other International Awards. Her dramatic work features non-professional actors and involved a process of workshopping to develop the scripts.
A collaboration with Fashion Designer Bella Freud gave birth to Submission, with Abbey Lee Kershaw, Susie Cave and Antonia Campbell-Hughes; and Je'T'Ecoute, with Lara Stone and Constance Fouracre.
In 2012 Amati was awarded a Wellcome Trust Arts Award [4] to make Under, a multiple screen installation entirely filmed and performed underwater in one breath of air. Under debuted at Ambika P3, London 2015.[5]
Personal life
Amati grew up in Italy. A keen gymnast, swimmer and skier, she won her first skiing competition aged five. She has a passion for freediving and her personal best is -30m. Amati lives in London.
Documentaries
- 2005 Altitude (Director, Screenwriter, Cinematographer)
- 2013 Liquidman (Director, Screenwriter)
- 2015 Tapeman (Director, Screenwriter, Cinematographer)
Short dramas
- 2008 A'Mare (Director, Screenwriter)
- 2009 I Do Air (Director, Screenwriter)
- 2011 Chalk (Director, Screenwriter)
Art videos
- 1993 I'll Be Back In One Hour (Performer, Director, Screenwriter)
- 1996 Little Swimming Woman (Drawings, Director)
- 2011 Submission (Director, Screenwriter)
- 2013 Je T'Ecoute (Director, Screenwriter)
- 2015 Under (Performer, Director, Screenwriter)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Unicef Award | Unicef Award | A'Mare | Won |
| 2009 | BAFTA Los Angeles | Certificate of Excellence | A'Mare | Won |
| 2010 | BAFTA | Best Short Film | I Do Air | Won |
| 2011 | British Independent Film Awards | Best British Short Film | Chalk | Won |
| 2012 | BAFTA | Best Short Film | Chalk | Nominated |
References
- ^ "British Independent Film Award winners 2011". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival https://www.hotdocs.ca/archive/films/liquidman
- ^ "Film Award Winners 2012". BAFTA. BAFTA. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ https://wellcome.ac.uk/what-we-do/directories/large-arts-awards-people-funded
- ^ https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/sep/29/breathless-experience-freediving-film-installation-opens-in-london