Cate Shortland (born 10 August 1968) is an Australian director and screenwriter. She received international acclaim for her 2004 romantic drama film Somersault, her 2012 historical drama film Lore, and her 2017 psychological thriller film Berlin Syndrome. She is best known for directing the 2021 superhero film Black Widow.
Early life Shortland was born in Temora, New South Wales. She graduated from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, where she received the Southern Star Award for most promising student.
Career Shortland has created several award-winning short films: Strap on Olympia (1995); Pentuphouse (1998); Flower Girl (2000); and Joy (2000).
She spent three years directing episodes of the Network Ten television series, The Secret Life of Us.
In 2004, Shortland released her debut feature-length film, Somersault (2004), which was entered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. She directed the Australian television film The Silence.
Her second feature, Lore, had its Australian premiere at the 2012 Sydney Film Festival."Lore", Sydney Film Festival 2012 accessed 9 June 2012 It won at the Locarno International Film Festival in August 2012 the Prix du Public UBS. In November, the film won the Bronze Horse for best film at the Stockholm International Film Festival. The film was selected as the Australian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist.
In 2015, Shortland announced she was working on a third feature film, Berlin Syndrome. Based on the book of the same name by Melanie Joosten, the film starred Teresa Palmer as an Australian photojournalist who becomes imprisoned in the apartment of a man with whom she has a one-night stand. The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
In July 2018, Shortland was announced as the director of the 2021 Black Widow film for Marvel Studios.
Personal life Shortland is a convert to Judaism. She married filmmaker Tony Krawitz in 2009, and they have two children.
Filmography Short film Year Title Director Writer1998Pentuphouse1999Flowergirl2000Joy
Feature film Year Title Director Writer2004Somersault2012Lore2017Berlin Syndrome2021Black Widow
Television Year Title Director Writer Notes2001–2003The Secret Life of Us10 episodes2002–2003Bad Cop, Bad Cop4 episodes2006The SilenceTV movie2012The SlapEpisode "Rosie"2014Devil's PlaygroundEpisode "The Whirlwind and the Storm"2015Deadline GallipoliEpisode 22016The Kettering IncidentTeleplay for episode "The Search"Additional material for episode "The Mill"2019SMILF4 episodes2024Three WomenEpisode 4: "Maggie"
Awards and nominations Year Film Notes2004SomersaultAACTA Award for Best DirectionAACTA Award for Best Original ScreenplayAWGIE Award for Best Writing in a Feature Film - OriginalFCCA Award for Best DirectorInside Film Award for Best Feature FilmInside Film Award for Best DirectionInside Film Award for Best ScriptLjubljana International Film Festival Kingfisher AwardMiami International Film Festival Special Jury Award for Breakthrough DirectorMiami International Film Festival Special Mention Breakthrough AwardNominated — Cannes Film Festival - Golden CameraNominated — Cannes Film Festival - Un Certain Regard AwardNominated — FCCA Award for Best Original ScreenplayNominated — Tokyo International Film Festival Grand Prix2006The SilenceAustralian Screen Sound Guild award for Best Achievement in Sound for a Tele-Feature or Mini-SeriesNominated — AFI Award for Best Telefeature or Mini SeriesNominated — the 2007 Logie Awards for Silver Logie in Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie.2012LoreAbu Dhabi Film Festival - Black Pearl Award for Best Narrative FeatureADG Award for Best Direction in a Feature FilmAFCA Award for Best DirectorAFCA Award for Best ScreenplayAWGIE Award for Best Writing in a Feature Film - AdaptedBeijing International Film Festival Tiantian Award for Best DirectorBeijing College Student Film Festival Special Jury AwardFCCA Award for Best DirectorFilmfest Hamburg Critics AwardHamptons International Film Festival - Golden Starfish AwardLocarno Festival - Audience AwardStockholm International Film Festival - Bronze Horse for Best FilmTromsø International Film Festival - Aurora AwardValladolid International Film Festival - Pilar Miró Award for Best New DirectorNominated — AACTA Award for Best DirectionNominated — AACTA Award for Best Adapted ScreenplayNominated — Asia-Pacific Film Festival Award for Best DirectorNominated — Beijing International Film Festival Tiantian Award for Best DirectorNominated — BFI London Film FestivalNominated — FCCA Award for Best ScreenplayNominated — Locarno Festival - Audience AwardNominated — Sydney Film Festival PrizeNominated — Thessaloniki International Film Festival - Open Horizons AwardNominated — Valladolid International Film Festival - Golden Spike for Best Film2017Berlin SyndromeNominated — AACTA Award for Best DirectionNominated — Dallas International Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - Narrative Feature CompetitionNominated — Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema — Dramatic
References
External links
Cate Shortland's Agent