Shatara Michelle Ford is an American director, writer, and producer. Their feature film directorial debut Test Pattern (2019) received critical acclaim.[1]
Shatara Michelle Ford | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Director, writer, producer |
| Years active | 2016– present |
| Notable work | Test Pattern |
Career
editFord gained prominence in 2019 for Test Pattern, their feature film directorial debut. The story follows Renesha and Evan, a young interracial couple seeking medical care after Renesha is sexually assaulted by a stranger.[2] Ford also wrote and produced the film.[3] Test Pattern debuted in August 2019 at the BlackStar Film Festival, where it received the Lionsgate/STARZ Producer Award.[4] Additional accolades were awarded at the New Orleans Film Festival and the deadCENTER Film Festival.[4]
Their forthcoming coming-of-age film, Queen Elizabeth, was named to the 2017 Black List.[1] It is in development as of 2021.[4]
In 2024, Ford directed, wrote, and produced Dreams in Nightmares following three friends roadtripping across the Midwestern United States in search of their friend who has disappeared off the grid.[5]
They cited German Expressionism and Alfred Hitchcock as key influences.[6]
Personal life
editFord was raised in St. Louis, Missouri.[1] Ford uses they/them pronouns.[2] Ford has an MFA in screenwriting from Royal Holloway, University of London and a BA in political studies and sociology from Pitzer College.[7]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | BlackStar Film Festival | Lionsgate/STARZ Producer Award | Test Pattern | Won | [8] |
| New Orleans Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Won | [8] | ||
| 2020 | DeadCENTER Film Festival | Special Jury Prize | Won | [9] | |
| 2021 | Gotham Awards | Best Feature | Nominated | [10] | |
| Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award | Nominated | [10] | |||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Circle Awards | New Generation Prize | Won (tied with Prayers for the Stolen) | [11] | ||
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | Special Citation for Independent Cinema | Won (tied with Kuessipan) | [12] | ||
| Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Josephine Baker Award | Nominated | [13] | ||
| 2022 | Austin Film Critics Association | Special Honorary Award | Won | [14] | |
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Independent Film | Pending | [15] | ||
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Feature | Pending | [16] | ||
| Best First Screenplay | Pending | [16] | |||
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Independent Motion Picture | Pending | [17] |
References
edit- ^ a b c Luers, Erik (2021-02-19). ""I Had to Use Nine Credit Cards": Shatara Michelle Ford on Test Pattern". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ^ a b Da Costa, Cassie (2021-04-26). "5 Black Indie Directors Who Haven't Let the Pandemic Stop Them". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ^ "Director Shatara Michelle Ford On Centering Blackness In 'Test Pattern'". HuffPost. 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ^ a b c N'Duka, Amanda (21 April 2021). "UTA Signs Rising Filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- ^ Erbland, Kate (June 25, 2024). "Indie Spirit-Nominated 'Test Pattern' Filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford Has Completed Next Film". IndieWire. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ "Test Pattern Director Shatara Michelle Ford on Making Their First Film and Being Emotionally Truthful". The Stranger. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ^ "Shatara Michelle Ford | The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage". www.pewcenterarts.org. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ a b Grater, Tom (2020-09-03). "Kino Lorber Buys Indie Pic 'Test Pattern'". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ "Test Pattern – Director Shatara Michelle | Film School Radio hosted by Mike Kaspar". Film School Radio. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ a b Schneider, Michael; Davis, Clayton (2021-11-28). "Gotham Awards Predictions: Will Netflix Rule Both Sides of Film and TV With 'The Lost Daughter' and 'Squid Game'?". Variety. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ Lamphier, Jason. "Penélope Cruz, 'Drive My Car' score big wins at LAFCA awards". EW.com. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ "SFBAFCC 2021 Awards". The San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ "The Women Film Critics Circle Announces Its 2021 Winners, Tributing Hall's 'Passing' and Campion's 'The Power of the Dog'". Cinema Daily US. 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ Partridge, Jon (2022-01-11). "The 2021 Austin Film Critics Association Award Winners". Austin Film Critics Association. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ "'The Harder They Fall' leads Black Reel Awards with record 20 nominations". WTOP News. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ a b "These are the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees". Film Independent. 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (2022-01-18). "NAACP Image Awards Nominations: Netflix Tops List For Second Year In A Row With 'The Harder They Fall', 'Bruised' & 'Passing'". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
External links
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