Sarah Polley
Encyclopedia
Sarah Polley is a Canadian actress, singer, film director, and screenwriter. Polley first attained notice in her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series, Road to Avonlea
. She has also starred in such films as Exotica
, The Sweet Hereafter
, Guinevere
, Go
, The Weight of Water
, My Life Without Me
, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
, Dawn of the Dead
, Splice, and Mr. Nobody
.
Polley made her feature film directorial debut with Away from Her
, for which she won a Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction
and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Polley's second film, Take This Waltz
, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
in 2011.
, Ontario
. She is the daughter of Diane Elizabeth (née MacMillan), an actress and casting director, and Michael Polley, a British
-born actor and insurance agent (he attended acting classes with Albert Finney
in England before moving to Canada). Polley's mother died of cancer
just after Polley's 11th birthday. Polley attended Subway Academy II
, then Earl Haig Secondary School
, but dropped out before graduating.
film One Magic Christmas
. At age eight, she was cast as Ramona Quimby
in the television series Ramona
, based on Beverly Cleary
's books. That same year, she also played one of the lead characters in Terry Gilliam
's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
. Polley burst into the public eye the following year as Sara Stanley on the popular CBC
television series Road to Avonlea
. The series made her famous and financially independent, and she was hailed as "Canada's Sweetheart" by the popular press.
The show was picked up by the Disney Channel
for distribution in the United States
. At the age of 12 (around 1991), Polley attended an awards ceremony while wearing a peace sign to protest the first Gulf War. Disney executives asked her to remove it, and she refused. This soured her relationship with Disney, and she left Road to Avonlea
in 1994. The show itself was cancelled in 1996, although she did return as Sara Stanley for an episode in 1995 and for the final episode in 1996.
. It ran from 1996–1998 and she won the Gemini Award
for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series for her role. Polley's subsequent role as Nicole Burnell in the 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter
, brought her considerable attention in the United States; she was a fan favourite at the Sundance Film Festival
. Her character in the film was an aspiring singer — on the soundtrack, she performed a cover of The Tragically Hip
's "Courage
" and Jane Siberry's "One More Colour
", as well as the film's title track which she co-wrote with Mychael Danna
. "Courage" was also played in the ending of an episode of Charmed
, "Long Live the Queen" (Season 4 Episode 20). Polley appeared to two critically acclaimed small movies; 1998's Last Night, and the well-received 1999 film Go
with budding actress Katie Holmes
, to end out the 1990s.
She was cast in the role of Penny Lane in the big-budget 2000 film Almost Famous
, but dropped out of the project to return to Canada for the low-budget The Law of Enclosures
. Her role in the 2003 film My Life Without Me
, garnered the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
in 2004. In the same year, she starred in a lead role in the stylish and successful remake of Dawn of the Dead
, which was a departure from her other indie roles. In 2005 she starred in The Secret Life of Words
, opposite Tim Robbins
and Julie Christie
. She was nominated as Best European Actress by the European Film Academy
for her role as Hanna.
Polley played Elise in Jaco Van Dormael
's Mr. Nobody
, which was released in 2010. The film was mostly funded through European financiers, and was given limited release in certain countries. Critical response has praised the film's artistry and Polley's acting.
, based on the Alice Munro
short story The Bear Came Over the Mountain. The movie, starring Julie Christie
, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival
on September 11, 2006 as part of the TIFF's Gala showcase. Away from Her was acquired by Lionsgate
for release in the US for the sum of $750,000. It drew rave reviews from Variety
, The Hollywood Reporter
, and the three Toronto dailies, both for the performances of Christie and her co-star, Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent
, and for Polley's direction. It also earned Polley a 2008 Academy Award nomination for her adapted screenplay and won the Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction
(the first woman to do so). At the 2008 Genies, she was also awarded the Claude Jutra Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement by a first-time feature film director.
Polley takes pride in her work and enjoys both acting and directing but is not keen on combining the two. "I like the feeling of keeping them separate. I find that really gratifying. I can't imagine combining those. For me, I love the feeling of using different parts of my brain separately."
, where Ontario legislator Peter Kormos
was said to be her political mentor.
In 1995, she lost two back teeth after being struck by a riot police officer during a protest against the Provincial Progressive Conservative
government of Mike Harris
in Queen's Park. She was subsequently involved with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
. She has recently scaled back her political activism.
She was part of a group in 2001 which opposed the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas
. The 3rd Summit of the Americas was held in Quebec City
in April 2001.
In 2003, she was part of former Toronto mayor David Miller
's transition advisory team.
In 2009, Polley directed a two-minute short in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
. In advance of the film's airing in Canada during the 82nd Academy Awards
, and following news reports that characterized the film as a marketing exercise for the margarine company Becel
, Polley withdrew her association with the film. "In December 2009, I made a film to be aired during the Academy Awards that I believed was to promote the Heart and Stroke Foundation. When I agreed to make this film ["The Heart"], I was thrilled, as I was proud to be associated with the work of this incredible organization. However, I have since learned that my film is also being used to promote a product. Regretfully, I am forced to remove my name from the film and disassociate myself from it. I have never actively promoted any corporate brand, and cannot do so now." In response, Becel said it was a "founding sponsor" of the Heart Truth campaign and had commissioned the film "to put heart health on the radar of Canadian women".
, her companion of seven years. In 2008 they divorced.
On August 23, 2011 she married Canadian clerk David Sandomierski. Sandomierski is working on his PhD in law at the University of Toronto
. Polley is pregnant with her first child, and due at the end of February 2012.
.
ACTRA
Academy Awards
Chlotrudis Awards
Director's Guild of Canada
Gemini Award
s
Genie Award
s
Independent Spirit Awards
Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
. She has also starred in such films as Exotica
Exotica (film)
Exotica is a 1994 Canadian film set primarily in and around the Exotica strip club in Toronto, Canada. It was written and directed by Atom Egoyan. Music used includes "Montagues and Capulets".-Synopsis:...
, The Sweet Hereafter
The Sweet Hereafter (film)
The Sweet Hereafter is a 1997 Canadian film written and directed by Atom Egoyan. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Russell Banks.-Plot:...
, Guinevere
Guinevere (film)
Guinevere is a film about the artistic and romantic relationship between a young student and her older mentor.The film was written and directed by Audrey Wells and stars Stephen Rea, Sarah Polley, Jean Smart, and Gina Gershon. The running time is 105 minutes. The film was a 1999 Sundance Film...
, Go
Go (1999 film)
Go is a 1999 comedy thriller film written by John August and directed by Doug Liman, with three intertwining plots that happen to involve one drug deal. The film stars William Fichtner, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Sarah Polley and Scott Wolf and features Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer, Timothy Olyphant,...
, The Weight of Water
The Weight of Water (film)
The Weight of Water is a 2000 film based on the novel of the same name by Anita Shreve. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film stars Sean Penn, Elizabeth Hurley, Sarah Polley, Josh Lucas and Catherine McCormack...
, My Life Without Me
My Life Without Me
My Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband...
, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 1988 British adventure comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman, and Robin Williams.-Plot:...
, Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead (2004 film)
Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall...
, Splice, and Mr. Nobody
Mr. Nobody (film)
Mr. Nobody is a 2009 Belgian science fiction drama film directed by Jaco Van Dormael, starring Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Linh Dan Pham, Sarah Polley, Natasha Little, Rhys Ifans and Daniel Mays. This movie tells the life story of Nemo Nobody, the last mortal on Earth. Nemo is 118 years old and lives...
.
Polley made her feature film directorial debut with Away from Her
Away From Her
Away from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
, for which she won a Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction
Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction
The Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best Canadian film director.-1st Genie Awards:*Bob Clark, Murder by Decree*Peter Carter, Klondike Fever...
and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Polley's second film, Take This Waltz
Take This Waltz (film)
Take This Waltz is a Canadian comedy-drama film, released in 2011.The second full length film directed by Sarah Polley, the film's cast includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Luke Kirby, Jennifer Podemski, Raoul Bhaneja, Albert Howell, Diane Flacks and Diane D'Aquila.-Film...
, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
in 2011.
Early life
Polley, the youngest of five children, was born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. She is the daughter of Diane Elizabeth (née MacMillan), an actress and casting director, and Michael Polley, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born actor and insurance agent (he attended acting classes with Albert Finney
Albert Finney
Albert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
in England before moving to Canada). Polley's mother died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
just after Polley's 11th birthday. Polley attended Subway Academy II
Subway Academy II
Subway Academy II is a public alternative high school in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the third floor of Beverley Street Public School, an elementary school for disabled children. Subway II offers an unconventional approach to schooling, with a more flexible schedule, and...
, then Earl Haig Secondary School
Earl Haig Secondary School
Earl Haig Secondary School is a public high school with a student body of about 2,300 students in Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school's principal is Renata Gonsalves.-History:...
, but dropped out before graduating.
Early career and fall-out with Disney
Her first cinematic appearance was at the age of four, as Molly in the DisneyWalt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
film One Magic Christmas
One Magic Christmas
One Magic Christmas is a 1985 Canadian-American holiday film from Walt Disney Pictures directed by Phillip Borsos and starring Mary Steenburgen and Harry Dean Stanton.-Synopsis:...
. At age eight, she was cast as Ramona Quimby
Ramona Quimby
Ramona Geraldine Quimby is a character from a series of novels by Beverly Cleary. She starts out in the Henry Huggins series as the pestering little sister of Henry's friend Beatrice, called "Beezus" by Ramona and her family. She was given a larger role in the novel Beezus and Ramona...
in the television series Ramona
Ramona (1988 TV series)
Ramona is a Canadian children's television series which followed the life of eight-year-old title character Ramona Quimby . It was based on the Ramona book series by Beverly Cleary....
, based on Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
's books. That same year, she also played one of the lead characters in Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 1988 British adventure comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman, and Robin Williams.-Plot:...
. Polley burst into the public eye the following year as Sara Stanley on the popular CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
television series Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
. The series made her famous and financially independent, and she was hailed as "Canada's Sweetheart" by the popular press.
The show was picked up by the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
for distribution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At the age of 12 (around 1991), Polley attended an awards ceremony while wearing a peace sign to protest the first Gulf War. Disney executives asked her to remove it, and she refused. This soured her relationship with Disney, and she left Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
in 1994. The show itself was cancelled in 1996, although she did return as Sara Stanley for an episode in 1995 and for the final episode in 1996.
Acting career as adult
Polley appeared as Lily on the CBC television series, Straight UpStraight Up (TV series)
Straight Up is a popular but short lived Canadian television series produced by Back Alley Films. Although critically acclaimed , the show only ran for 13 episodes on CBC Television from 1996 to 1998...
. It ran from 1996–1998 and she won the Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series for her role. Polley's subsequent role as Nicole Burnell in the 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter
The Sweet Hereafter (film)
The Sweet Hereafter is a 1997 Canadian film written and directed by Atom Egoyan. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Russell Banks.-Plot:...
, brought her considerable attention in the United States; she was a fan favourite at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. Her character in the film was an aspiring singer — on the soundtrack, she performed a cover of The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie , Paul Langlois , Rob Baker , Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay . Since their formation in 1983 they have released 12 studio albums, two live albums, and 46 singles...
's "Courage
Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)
"Courage" is a song by The Tragically Hip, released as the third single from their 1992 album Fully Completely. The song's bracketed title references the late author Hugh MacLennan, particularly his 1959 novel The Watch That Ends the Night which is paraphrased in the song's lyrics.The song was...
" and Jane Siberry's "One More Colour
The Speckless Sky
The Speckless Sky is an album by Jane Siberry. It was Siberry's highest-charting album on the Canadian charts and contains her biggest Top 40 hit, "One More Colour"...
", as well as the film's title track which she co-wrote with Mychael Danna
Mychael Danna
Mychael Danna is a Canadian film composer.-Life and career:Mychael Danna is the brother of fellow composer Jeff Danna. He has been scoring films since his 1987 feature debut for Atom Egoyan's Family Viewing, a score which earned Danna the first of his thirteen Genie Award nominations. He has won...
. "Courage" was also played in the ending of an episode of Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
, "Long Live the Queen" (Season 4 Episode 20). Polley appeared to two critically acclaimed small movies; 1998's Last Night, and the well-received 1999 film Go
Go (1999 film)
Go is a 1999 comedy thriller film written by John August and directed by Doug Liman, with three intertwining plots that happen to involve one drug deal. The film stars William Fichtner, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Sarah Polley and Scott Wolf and features Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer, Timothy Olyphant,...
with budding actress Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes
Katherine Noelle "Katie" Holmes is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. Her movie roles have included the blockbuster Batman Begins along with art house films such as The Ice Storm and thrillers...
, to end out the 1990s.
She was cast in the role of Penny Lane in the big-budget 2000 film Almost Famous
Almost Famous
Almost Famous is a 2000 musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the fictitious rock band Stillwater , and his efforts to get his first cover story published...
, but dropped out of the project to return to Canada for the low-budget The Law of Enclosures
The Law of Enclosures (film)
The Law of Enclosures is a Canadian drama film, released in 1999. The film was written and directed by John Greyson, and based on the novel The Law of Enclosures by Dale Peck....
. Her role in the 2003 film My Life Without Me
My Life Without Me
My Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband...
, garnered the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
The Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best Canadian actress.-1st Genie Awards:* Kate Lynch, Meatballs* Louise Portal, Cordélia...
in 2004. In the same year, she starred in a lead role in the stylish and successful remake of Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead (2004 film)
Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall...
, which was a departure from her other indie roles. In 2005 she starred in The Secret Life of Words
The Secret Life of Words
The Secret Life of Words is a 2005 Spanish film, directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley and Tim Robbins. The film was released on December 15, 2006 and grossed a worldwide total of $6,410,058.-Plot:...
, opposite Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
and Julie Christie
Julie Christie
Julie Frances Christie is a British actress. Born in British India to English parents, at the age of six Christie moved to England, where she attended boarding school....
. She was nominated as Best European Actress by the European Film Academy
European Film Academy
The European Film Academy is an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988.- European Film Academy :...
for her role as Hanna.
Polley played Elise in Jaco Van Dormael
Jaco Van Dormael
Jaco Van Dormael is a Belgian film director, screenwriter and playwright. His complex and critically acclaimed films are especially noted for their respectful and sympathetic portrayal of people with mental and physical disabilities.- Biography :In the 1980s, he became interested in filmmaking and...
's Mr. Nobody
Mr. Nobody (film)
Mr. Nobody is a 2009 Belgian science fiction drama film directed by Jaco Van Dormael, starring Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Linh Dan Pham, Sarah Polley, Natasha Little, Rhys Ifans and Daniel Mays. This movie tells the life story of Nemo Nobody, the last mortal on Earth. Nemo is 118 years old and lives...
, which was released in 2010. The film was mostly funded through European financiers, and was given limited release in certain countries. Critical response has praised the film's artistry and Polley's acting.
Directing career
She made her feature-length film directing debut with Away from HerAway From Her
Away from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
, based on the Alice Munro
Alice Munro
Alice Ann Munro is a Canadian short-story writer, the winner of the 2009 Man Booker International Prize for her lifetime body of work, a three-time winner of Canada's Governor General's Award for fiction, and a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize...
short story The Bear Came Over the Mountain. The movie, starring Julie Christie
Julie Christie
Julie Frances Christie is a British actress. Born in British India to English parents, at the age of six Christie moved to England, where she attended boarding school....
, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
on September 11, 2006 as part of the TIFF's Gala showcase. Away from Her was acquired by Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
for release in the US for the sum of $750,000. It drew rave reviews from Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
, and the three Toronto dailies, both for the performances of Christie and her co-star, Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent
Gordon Pinsent
Gordon Edward Pinsent, CC, FRSC is a Canadian television, theatre and film actor.-Early life:Pinsent, the youngest of six children, was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, the son of Flossie ; originally from Clifton, Newfoundland, and Stephen Arthur Pinsent, a papermill worker and cobbler;...
, and for Polley's direction. It also earned Polley a 2008 Academy Award nomination for her adapted screenplay and won the Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction
Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction
The Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best Canadian film director.-1st Genie Awards:*Bob Clark, Murder by Decree*Peter Carter, Klondike Fever...
(the first woman to do so). At the 2008 Genies, she was also awarded the Claude Jutra Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement by a first-time feature film director.
Polley takes pride in her work and enjoys both acting and directing but is not keen on combining the two. "I like the feeling of keeping them separate. I find that really gratifying. I can't imagine combining those. For me, I love the feeling of using different parts of my brain separately."
Political and social activism
Following the row with Disney, Polley dedicated more of her efforts to politics, becoming a prominent member of the New Democratic PartyNew Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
, where Ontario legislator Peter Kormos
Peter Kormos
Peter Kormos is a politician in Ontario, Canada. A former lawyer, he was first elected as an Ontario New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the Welland constituency in a 1988 provincial by-election. He replaced veteran NDP legislator Mel...
was said to be her political mentor.
In 1995, she lost two back teeth after being struck by a riot police officer during a protest against the Provincial Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
government of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
in Queen's Park. She was subsequently involved with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty is an anti-poverty group in Ontario, Canada, who promote the interests of the poor and homeless...
. She has recently scaled back her political activism.
She was part of a group in 2001 which opposed the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas
Free Trade Area of the Americas
The Free Trade Area of the Americas , , ) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the Americas but Cuba. In the last round of negotiations, trade ministers from 34 countries met in Miami, United States, in November 2003 to discuss the proposal...
. The 3rd Summit of the Americas was held in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in April 2001.
In 2003, she was part of former Toronto mayor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
's transition advisory team.
In 2009, Polley directed a two-minute short in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. The foundation's purpose is centered around educating individuals about the prevention and management of heart disease and stroke, and to fund medical research regarding the causes of these conditions...
. In advance of the film's airing in Canada during the 82nd Academy Awards
82nd Academy Awards
The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2009 and took place March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony was scheduled well after...
, and following news reports that characterized the film as a marketing exercise for the margarine company Becel
Becel
Becel is a brand of margarine produced by Unilever and sold in a number of countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and Turkey...
, Polley withdrew her association with the film. "In December 2009, I made a film to be aired during the Academy Awards that I believed was to promote the Heart and Stroke Foundation. When I agreed to make this film ["The Heart"], I was thrilled, as I was proud to be associated with the work of this incredible organization. However, I have since learned that my film is also being used to promote a product. Regretfully, I am forced to remove my name from the film and disassociate myself from it. I have never actively promoted any corporate brand, and cannot do so now." In response, Becel said it was a "founding sponsor" of the Heart Truth campaign and had commissioned the film "to put heart health on the radar of Canadian women".
Personal life
Polley is an atheist. On September 10, 2003 she married Canadian film editor David WharnsbyDavid Wharnsby
David Wharnsby is a Genie and Gemini award winning Canadian film editor who lives in Toronto.Some of Wharnsby's numerous credits include; the CBC's miniseries Northern Town, directed by Gary Burns; At The Hotel, directed by Ken Finkleman; TIFF top ten films, I, Claudia, by Chris Abraham; The...
, her companion of seven years. In 2008 they divorced.
On August 23, 2011 she married Canadian clerk David Sandomierski. Sandomierski is working on his PhD in law at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. Polley is pregnant with her first child, and due at the end of February 2012.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | One Magic Christmas One Magic Christmas One Magic Christmas is a 1985 Canadian-American holiday film from Walt Disney Pictures directed by Phillip Borsos and starring Mary Steenburgen and Harry Dean Stanton.-Synopsis:... |
Molly Monaghan | |
| 1986 | Confidential | ||
| 1987 | Tomorrow's a Killer Tomorrow's a Killer Tomorrow's a Killer is a 1987 Canadian-American thriller film directed by George Kaczender and starring David Birney, Susannah York and Yaphet Kotto. A policeman, haunted by his past, tries to hunt down a serial killer murdering prostitutes. The film is also known as Prettykill... |
Karla | |
| 1987 | Blue Monkey | Ellen | |
| 1987 | Christy Donaldson | ||
| 1988 | Sally Salt | ||
| 1989 | Babar: The Movie Babar: The Movie Babar: The Movie is a 1989 drawn-animated film made by Canada's Nelvana Limited and France's Ellipse Programme, and distributed by New Line Cinema. It is based on the characters of Jean de Brunhoff's eponymous children's books, and was a follow-up to the first season of the HBO TV series... |
Young Celeste (voice) | |
| 1993 | ER Doctor (uncredited) | ||
| 1994 | Exotica Exotica (film) Exotica is a 1994 Canadian film set primarily in and around the Exotica strip club in Toronto, Canada. It was written and directed by Atom Egoyan. Music used includes "Montagues and Capulets".-Synopsis:... |
Tracey Brown | |
| 1996 | Children First! | ||
| 1996 | Joe's So Mean to Josephine | Josephine | |
| 1997 | Nicole Burnell | ||
| 1997 | Teen Rosemary | ||
| 1997 | Butter | ||
| 1998 | Jerry and Tom Jerry and Tom Jerry and Tom is a 1998 American comedy film released on December 4, 1998. The film was the directorial debut of Saul Rubinek, and the screenplay was adapted by Rick Cleveland from his own 1994 one-act play. The film stars Joe Mantegna, Sam Rockwell, Maury Chaykin, Ted Danson, Charles Durning,... |
Deb | |
| 1998 | Last Night | Jennifer 'Jenny' Wheeler | |
| 1999 | Guinevere Guinevere (film) Guinevere is a film about the artistic and romantic relationship between a young student and her older mentor.The film was written and directed by Audrey Wells and stars Stephen Rea, Sarah Polley, Jean Smart, and Gina Gershon. The running time is 105 minutes. The film was a 1999 Sundance Film... |
Harper Sloane | |
| 1999 | eXistenZ EXistenZ eXistenZ is a 1999 body horror/science fiction film by Canadian director David Cronenberg. It stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law.... |
Merle | |
| 1999 | Go Go (1999 film) Go is a 1999 comedy thriller film written by John August and directed by Doug Liman, with three intertwining plots that happen to involve one drug deal. The film stars William Fichtner, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Sarah Polley and Scott Wolf and features Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer, Timothy Olyphant,... |
Ronna Martin | |
| 1999 | Connie | ||
| 2000 | This Might Be Good | Short film | |
| 2000 | Love Come Down | Sister Sarah | |
| 2000 | Maren Hontvedt | ||
| 2000 | Beatty 'Beatrice' | ||
| 2000 | Hope Burn | ||
| 2001 | No Such Thing | Beatrice | |
| 2003 | Dana | ||
| 2003 | My Life Without Me My Life Without Me My Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband... |
Ann | |
| 2003 | Dermott's Quest | Gwen | Short film |
| 2003 | Luck | Margaret | |
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead Dawn of the Dead (2004 film) Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall... |
Ana | |
| 2004 | Clair | ||
| 2004 | Sugar | Pregnant Girl | |
| 2004 | Siblings | Tabby | |
| 2005 | Don't Come Knocking Don't Come Knocking Don't Come Knocking is a 2005 film, a comedy-drama road movie directed by German director Wim Wenders and written by Wenders and actor/playwright Sam Shepard. The two had previously collaborated on the film Paris, Texas... |
Sky | |
| 2005 | Hanna | ||
| 2005 | Beowulf & Grendel Beowulf & Grendel Beowulf & Grendel is a 2005 film loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. Filmed in Iceland and directed by Sturla Gunnarsson, it stars Gerard Butler as Beowulf, Stellan Skarsgård as Hrothgar, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson as Grendel and Sarah Polley as the witch Selma... |
Selma | |
| 2009 | Mr. Nobody Mr. Nobody (film) Mr. Nobody is a 2009 Belgian science fiction drama film directed by Jaco Van Dormael, starring Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Linh Dan Pham, Sarah Polley, Natasha Little, Rhys Ifans and Daniel Mays. This movie tells the life story of Nemo Nobody, the last mortal on Earth. Nemo is 118 years old and lives... |
Elise | |
| 2009 | Splice Splice (film) Splice is a 2009 Canadian/French science fiction horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali and starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. The story concerns experiments in genetic engineering being done by a young scientist couple who attempt to introduce human DNA into their work of splicing animal... |
Elsa Kast | |
| 2010 | Trigger Trigger (film) Trigger is a Canadian comedy-drama film, released in 2010. Directed by Bruce McDonald, the film stars Molly Parker and Tracy Wright as Kat and Vic, former rock stars reuniting their band Trigger for the first time since their retirement.... |
Hillary |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Night Heat Night Heat Night Heat is a Canadian police drama series, which aired on CTV from 1985 to 1991. The show also aired on CBS in the United States from 1987 to 1993 and was the first Canadian-produced drama series to air on an American network... |
Cindy Keating | Episode: "The Game" |
| 1987 | Screen Two | Episode: "Heaven on Earth" | |
| 1987 | Hands of a Stranger | Suzie Hearn | TV movie |
| 1987 | Friday the 13th Friday the 13th: The Series Friday the 13th: The Series is an American-Canadian horror television series that ran for three seasons, from October 3, 1987 to May 26, 1990 in first-run syndication.... |
Mary | Episode: "The Inheritance" |
| 1988 | Ramona Ramona (1988 TV series) Ramona is a Canadian children's television series which followed the life of eight-year-old title character Ramona Quimby . It was based on the Ramona book series by Beverly Cleary.... |
Ramona Quimby | 10 episodes |
| 1990 | Lantern Hill Lantern Hill (film) Lantern Hill is a 1990 television film written and directed by filmmaker Kevin Sullivan and based on the novel by L.M. Montgomery Jane of Lantern Hill. The film was co-produced by Sullivan Entertainment, the Disney Channel and CBC. The film is similar to Anne Of Green Gables, mainly because of the... |
Jody Turner | TV movie |
| 1990-1994 | Road to Avonlea Road to Avonlea Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from... |
Sara Stanley | 65 episodes |
| 1991 | Johann's Gift to Christmas | Angel | TV short |
| 1993 | Alice | Episode: "Dangerous Dreams" | |
| 1994 | Take Another Look | Amy | TV movie |
| 1995 | Road to Avonlea Road to Avonlea Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from... |
Sara Stanley | Episode: "Comings and Goings" |
| 1996 | Road to Avonlea Road to Avonlea Road to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from... |
Sara Stanley | Episode: "So Dear to My Heart" |
| 1996 | Straight Up Straight Up (TV series) Straight Up is a popular but short lived Canadian television series produced by Back Alley Films. Although critically acclaimed , the show only ran for 13 episodes on CBC Television from 1996 to 1998... |
Lily | TV series |
| 1998 | White Lies | Catherine Chapman | TV movie |
| 1999 | Rhonda | Episode: "It's a Science" | |
| 2006 | Slings and Arrows Slings and Arrows Slings and Arrows is a Canadian TV series set at the fictional New Burbage Festival, a Shakespearean festival similar to the real-world Stratford Festival... |
Sophie | 5 episodes |
| 2008 | John Adams John Adams (TV miniseries) John Adams is a 2008 American television miniseries chronicling most of President John Adams's political life and his role in the founding of the United States. Paul Giamatti portrays John Adams. The miniseries was directed by Tom Hooper. Kirk Ellis wrote the screenplay based on the book John... |
Nabby Adams | 4 episodes |
Director and writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | sortname>The Best Day of My Life | Also co-producer |
| 1999 | Don't Think Twice | |
| 2001 | I Shout Love | |
| 2002 | All I Want for Christmas | |
| 2004 | Episode: "The Harp" | |
| 2006 | Away from Her Away From Her Away from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival... |
|
| 2011 | Take This Waltz Take This Waltz (film) Take This Waltz is a Canadian comedy-drama film, released in 2011.The second full length film directed by Sarah Polley, the film's cast includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Luke Kirby, Jennifer Podemski, Raoul Bhaneja, Albert Howell, Diane Flacks and Diane D'Aquila.-Film... |
Also producer |
| 2011 | The Best So Far | in development |
Awards and nominations
On June 8, 2010, it was announced that she would receive a star on Canada's Walk of FameCanada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame , located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians...
.
ACTRA
ACTRA
The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists is a Canadian labour union representing performers in English-language media. It has 22,000 members working in film, television, radio, and all other recorded media....
- 2006 – ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence (Won)
Academy Awards
- 200880th Academy AwardsThe 80th Academy Awards ceremony honored the best films in 2007 and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on ABC beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/8:30 p.m. EST, February 24, 2008 . During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards in 24...
– Best Adapted Screenplay, Away from HerAway From HerAway from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
(Nominee)
Chlotrudis Awards
- 2008–Best Director, Away from HerAway From HerAway from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
, (Nominated) - 2008–Best Adapted Screenplay, Away from HerAway From HerAway from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
, (Won) - 2008–Best Actress, The Secret Life of WordsThe Secret Life of WordsThe Secret Life of Words is a 2005 Spanish film, directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley and Tim Robbins. The film was released on December 15, 2006 and grossed a worldwide total of $6,410,058.-Plot:...
(Nominated) - 2004–Best Actress, My Life Without MeMy Life Without MeMy Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband...
(Won) - 2002–Best Supporting Actress, The ClaimThe ClaimThe Claim is a 2000 British Western/romance film directed by Michael Winterbottom. The screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce is loosely based on the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. The original music score is composed by Michael Nyman....
(Nominated) - 2000–Best Actress, GoGo (1999 film)Go is a 1999 comedy thriller film written by John August and directed by Doug Liman, with three intertwining plots that happen to involve one drug deal. The film stars William Fichtner, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Sarah Polley and Scott Wolf and features Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer, Timothy Olyphant,...
and GuinevereGuinevere (film)Guinevere is a film about the artistic and romantic relationship between a young student and her older mentor.The film was written and directed by Audrey Wells and stars Stephen Rea, Sarah Polley, Jean Smart, and Gina Gershon. The running time is 105 minutes. The film was a 1999 Sundance Film...
, (Nominated) - 1998–Best Actress, The Sweet HereafterThe Sweet Hereafter (film)The Sweet Hereafter is a 1997 Canadian film written and directed by Atom Egoyan. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Russell Banks.-Plot:...
, (Nominated)
Director's Guild of Canada
- 2007–Best Feature Film :DGC Team Award, Away from HerAway From HerAway from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
(Won) - 2007–Best Director :DGC Craft Award, Away from HerAway From HerAway from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
(Nominated)
Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
s
- 2007–Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series, Slings and ArrowsSlings and ArrowsSlings and Arrows is a Canadian TV series set at the fictional New Burbage Festival, a Shakespearean festival similar to the real-world Stratford Festival...
(Nominated) - 1998–Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series, Straight UpStraight Up (TV series)Straight Up is a popular but short lived Canadian television series produced by Back Alley Films. Although critically acclaimed , the show only ran for 13 episodes on CBC Television from 1996 to 1998...
(Won) - 1998–Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, The Planet of Junior Brown (Nominated)
- 1998–Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, White Lies (Nominated)
- 1994–Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, Road to AvonleaRoad to AvonleaRoad to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
(Nominated) - 1993–Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, Road to AvonleaRoad to AvonleaRoad to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
(Nominated) - 1992–Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Lantern HillLantern HillLantern Hill, elevation 491 feet , is located in North Stonington, Connecticut.- Name :The hill's white quartz cliffs are said to shine in sunlight when viewed from the Atlantic Ocean ....
(Won) - 1990–Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, Road to AvonleaRoad to AvonleaRoad to Avonlea was a television series which was first broadcast in Canada and the United States between 1990 and 1996. It was created by Kevin Sullivan and produced by Sullivan Films in association with CBC and the Disney Channel, with additional funding from Telefilm Canada.It was adapted from...
(Nominated) - 1988–Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, RamonaRamona (1988 TV series)Ramona is a Canadian children's television series which followed the life of eight-year-old title character Ramona Quimby . It was based on the Ramona book series by Beverly Cleary....
, (Nominated)
Genie Award
Genie Award
Genie Awards are given out to recognize the best of Canadian cinema by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. From 1949-1979, the awards were named the Canadian Film Awards...
s
- 2008–Claude Jutra Award, (Special Prize)
- 2008–Best Director, Away from HerAway From HerAway from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
, (Won) - 2008–Best Adapted Screenplay, Away from Her, (Won)
- 2004–Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, My Life Without MeMy Life Without MeMy Life Without Me is a 2003 Spanish/Canadian film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the book Pretending the Bed Is a Raft by Nanci Kincaid, it tells a story of the dying process of a 23-year-old woman who has a husband...
, (Won) - 2003–Best Live Action Short Drama, I Shout Love (Won)
- 2002–Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, The Law of EnclosuresThe Law of EnclosuresThe Law of Enclosures is a 1996 novel by Dale Peck, which was adapted into the 1999 film The Law of Enclosures by Canadian director John Greyson....
(Nominated) - 1997–Best Original Song, The Sweet HereafterThe Sweet HereafterThe Sweet Hereafter is a 1991 novel by American author Russell Banks. It is set in a small town in the aftermath of a deadly school bus accident that has killed most of the town's children...
, (Nominated) - 1997–Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, The Sweet HereafterThe Sweet Hereafter (film)The Sweet Hereafter is a 1997 Canadian film written and directed by Atom Egoyan. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Russell Banks.-Plot:...
, (Nominated)
Independent Spirit Awards
- 2000–Best Supporting Female, GoGo (1999 film)Go is a 1999 comedy thriller film written by John August and directed by Doug Liman, with three intertwining plots that happen to involve one drug deal. The film stars William Fichtner, Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Sarah Polley and Scott Wolf and features Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer, Timothy Olyphant,...
, (Nominated)