Morgan Simon

Morgan Simon (born 1987) is a French director, screenwriter and photographer born in the Paris suburbs.

Life and career

Morgan Simon studied screenwriting at La Fémis in Paris.^[1] In 2016, his short film Try To Die Young was a César Award nominee.^[2]

A Taste of Ink, his first feature film, was developed at L’Atelier de la Cinéfondation during the 2015 Cannes Film Festival^[3]^,^[4] as well as The Jerusalem International Film Lab, rubbing shoulders with László Nemes’s Son of Saul.^[5] A Taste of Ink premiered at the 64th San Sebastián Film Festival in the New Directors section and was awarded by a special mention of the jury.^[6] It received fifteen awards and was selected by more than fifty festivals, such as Rotterdam, Shanghai, Stockholm,^[7] Los Angeles,^[8] Zurich,^[9] Jerusalem. A Taste of Ink was released in France on January 25, 2017 with Kévin Azaïs, Monia Chokri and Nathan Willcocks as main actors.^[10]^[11]

In 2018, Simon took part in the Queer Palm jury at the 71st Cannes Film Festival rewarding Girl directed by Lukas Dhont.^[12] In 2019, his 35mm short film Ghost Pleasure was selected at the Directors' Fortnight during the 72nd Cannes Film Festival.^[13] In 2021, he directed We Shall Meet Again, a short film dealing with migration and narrated by the French writer Édouard Louis.^[14]

In 2024, Somewhere In Love, Simon's second feature film is released in France and Belgium. The movie depicts a fusional mother and son story with Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Félix Lefebvre and Lubna Azabal as main cast. Somewhere In Love was awarded the Fondation Barrière Cinema Prize 2024.^[15]^[16] For her performance in Somewhere In Love, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi was awarded a special mention of the jury Rampa at the 21^st Seville European Film Festival.^[17]

Filmography

Feature films

2017: A Taste of Ink (Compte tes blessures)
2024: Somewhere In Love (Une vie rêvée)

Short films

2011: A Long Sadness (Une longue tristesse)
2011: Goose
2012: American Football
2014: Try To Die Young (Essaie de mourir jeune)
2015: Wake The Dead (Réveiller les morts)
2019: Ghost Pleasure (Plaisir Fantôme)
2021: We Shall Meet Again (Nous nous reverrons)

Music videos

2017: This Loneliness Won’t Be The Death Of Me - Being As An Ocean^[18]
2018: Ces garçons-là - Radio Elvis^[19]
2022: Ma vie - Liv del Estal^[20]

Video games

2013: Beyond: Two Souls by David Cage - script editor^[21]

Main awards and nominations

2014: Screenplay Grand Jury Junior Prize for A Taste of Ink
2015: UniFrance Prize nomination for Try To Die Young
2016: César Award nomination of the best short film for Try To Die Young
2016: Special mention of the jury for A Taste of Ink at San Sebastián Film Festival
2024: Fondation Barrière Cinema Prize

References

^ Interview Cineuropa, Fabien Lemercier, Jan 26, 2017
^ Cesar nominations 2016, Huffington Post, Lauren Provost, Jan 27, 2016
^ Variety, Emilio Mayorga, Jan 18, 2016
^ "Atelier Cinéfondation, selection 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2016-11-06. Retrieved 2019-05-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Variety, John Hopewell, Sep 22, 2016
^ Indie Wire, Liz Calvario, Sep 24, 2016
^ "Stockholm Film Festival announces 2016 Award Winners". News Powered by Cision.
^ Erbland, Kate (6 April 2017). "21st COLCOA French Film Festival Adds VR and Web Series Categories, Unveils Full Expanded Festival Slate".
^ Pahle, Rebecca (28 Sep 2016). "Zurich Film Festival showcases bold voices with 'Lady Macbeth,' 'I Am Not Madame Bovary,' 'A Taste of Ink' - Film Journal International". www.filmjournal.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
^ The Hollywood Reporter, Justin Lowe, May 16, 2017
^ Cineuropa, Fabien Lemercier, Jan 26, 2017
^ Le Monde, Clarisse Fabre, May 22, 2018
^ 51st Directors’ Fortnight, 2019 selection
^ IMDb page
^ Rebecca Leffler for Screen Daily, September 5, 2024
^ IMDb page
^ Seville Film Festival 2024 prize list
^ Alternative Press, Taylor Markarian, Feb 2nd, 2017
^ Trois Couleurs, Sep 20th, 2018
^ Virgin Radio, Mar 10th, 2022
^ La Fémis, alumnus

External links

Morgan Simon at IMDb

[1] Interview Cineuropa, Fabien Lemercier, Jan 26, 2017

[2] Cesar nominations 2016, Huffington Post, Lauren Provost, Jan 27, 2016

[3] Variety, Emilio Mayorga, Jan 18, 2016

[4] "Atelier Cinéfondation, selection 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2016-11-06. Retrieved 2019-05-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[5] Variety, John Hopewell, Sep 22, 2016

[6] Indie Wire, Liz Calvario, Sep 24, 2016

[7] "Stockholm Film Festival announces 2016 Award Winners". News Powered by Cision.

[8] Erbland, Kate (6 April 2017). "21st COLCOA French Film Festival Adds VR and Web Series Categories, Unveils Full Expanded Festival Slate".

[9] Pahle, Rebecca (28 Sep 2016). "Zurich Film Festival showcases bold voices with 'Lady Macbeth,' 'I Am Not Madame Bovary,' 'A Taste of Ink' - Film Journal International". www.filmjournal.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2019.

[10] The Hollywood Reporter, Justin Lowe, May 16, 2017

[11] Cineuropa, Fabien Lemercier, Jan 26, 2017

[12] Le Monde, Clarisse Fabre, May 22, 2018

[13] 51st Directors’ Fortnight, 2019 selection

[14] IMDb page

[15] Rebecca Leffler for Screen Daily, September 5, 2024

[16] IMDb page

[17] Seville Film Festival 2024 prize list

[18] Alternative Press, Taylor Markarian, Feb 2nd, 2017

[19] Trois Couleurs, Sep 20th, 2018

[20] Virgin Radio, Mar 10th, 2022

[21] La Fémis, alumnus

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