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.

Martina Amati
Born(1969-05-14)14 May 1969
Milan, Italy
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, artist
SpouseCharles Steel[citation needed]

Early years

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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.

Career

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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][4]), 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.

In 2012 Amati was awarded a Wellcome Trust Arts Award [5] to make Under, a multiple screen installation entirely filmed and performed underwater in one breath of air. Under debuted at Ambika P3, London 2015.[6]

Personal life

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Amati grew up in Italy. She has a passion for freediving.

Filmography

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Art video
Year Title Director Writer Notes
1993 I'll Be Back In One Hour Yes Yes Also performer
1996 Little Swimming Woman Yes No Also drawings
2011 Submission Yes Yes
2013 Je T'Ecoute Yes Yes
2015 Under Yes Yes Also performer
Documentary film
Year Title Director Writer DoP
2005 Altitude Yes Yes Yes
2013 Liquidman Yes Yes No
2015 Tapeman Yes Yes Yes
Short film
Year Title Director Writer
2008 A'Mare Yes Yes
2009 I Do Air Yes Yes
2011 Chalk Yes Yes

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Title Result
2008 UNICEF Award A'Mare Won
2009 BAFTA Los Angeles Certificate of Excellence 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 Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "British Independent Film Award winners 2011". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  2. ^ Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival https://www.hotdocs.ca/archive/films/liquidman
  3. ^ Alexander, Iain (10 February 2010). "Short film I Do Air wins BAFTA". Film Industry Network.
  4. ^ "Film Award Winners 2012". BAFTA. BAFTA. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Grants awarded: Large Arts Awards".
  6. ^ "Breathless experience: Freediving film installation opens in London". TheGuardian.com. 29 September 2015.
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