Vincent Ward (born 16 February 1956) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and artist, who was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 for his contribution to film.
The Boston Globe called him "one of film's great image makers", while Roger Ebert, one of America's foremost film critics, hailed him as "a true visionary." ==Life and career== Vincent Ward was born on 16 February 1956 near Greytown, New Zealand.
He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream and also trained at Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand where he received a Diploma in Fine Arts (with Honours) in 1978 and in 2014 the University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts and an adjunct professorship. In 1978, at the age of 21, he shot A State of Siege, a medium-length film that adapted a novel by his countrywoman Janet Frame.
It won a Special Jury Prize at the Miami Film Festival 1978 and a Golden Hugo Award at the Chicago Film Festival that same year. In 1978–81, Ward lived on and off in the rugged hills of Te Urewera with an old Tūhoe woman named Puhi and her schizophrenic son Niki.
American critic Roger Ebert praised its unpredictability and sense of adventure and said it had "two of the most astonishing romantic scenes I've ever seen in a movie". In the 1990s Ward spent several years in and out of Hollywood, where he developed multiple projects before he signed on to direct What Dreams May Come (1998) a screenplay adapted by Ronald Bass from Richard Matheson's 1978 novel.
He made a documentary about them called In Spring One Plants Alone, which won the 1982 Grand Prix at Cinéma du Réel (Paris), and a Silver Hugo at the Chicago Film Festival. His debut feature-length movie, Vigil (1984), follows "a solitary child who imagines, fantasises and dreams".
In 1984 at Germany's Hof International Film Festival and in 2008 at Poland's Era New Horizons Film Festival. Since 2010 Ward has launched a second career as a painter and video artist whilst still actively developing new film projects.
And took home Best Film and Best Director at both the Australian and New Zealand film industry awards in 1989. In 1990, Ward wrote the story for Alien 3, a proposed sequel to the film Aliens; he was the fourth of ten different writers to tackle the Alien 3 project.
Screenplay (Faber and Faber: 1989). Edge of the Earth: Stories and Images from the Antipodes (Auckland: Heinemann Reed, 1990). The Past Awaits, people, images, film.
And took home Best Film and Best Director at both the Australian and New Zealand film industry awards in 1989. In 1990, Ward wrote the story for Alien 3, a proposed sequel to the film Aliens; he was the fourth of ten different writers to tackle the Alien 3 project.
American critic Roger Ebert praised its unpredictability and sense of adventure and said it had "two of the most astonishing romantic scenes I've ever seen in a movie". In the 1990s Ward spent several years in and out of Hollywood, where he developed multiple projects before he signed on to direct What Dreams May Come (1998) a screenplay adapted by Ronald Bass from Richard Matheson's 1978 novel.
Screenplay (Faber and Faber: 1989). Edge of the Earth: Stories and Images from the Antipodes (Auckland: Heinemann Reed, 1990). The Past Awaits, people, images, film.
It was screened as a work in progress at Cannes Film Festival in 1992, it was later nominated for best film at the Australian Film Institute Awards.
Rolling Stone's review hailed it as “A visionary film of rare courage and imperishable heart.” And The New York Times said it was “a thrilling fantasy that places Ward…amongst the most innovative and authoritative young film makers.” The film won the Grand Prix at four film festivals including; Sitges Film Festival, Fanta Film Festival, and Oporto Film Festival 1998/89.
The film was nominated for Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects at the 1999 Academy Awards and won an Oscar for visual effects.
All three films have compelling and powerful performances by child actors. The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey won major awards at both the Australian and New Zealand film industry awards. What Dreams May Come was nominated for two Academy Awards and won the Oscar for best visual effects in 1999. "Rain of the Children won the Grand Prix at Era New Horizons Film Festival.
It continues to be popular with audiences scoring 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 7.1/10 stars on IMDb and 4.7/5 stars on Amazon where is ranks highly with viewers. The 2003 epic, The Last Samurai was based on a project Ward spent four years developing with the films producers.
He was given one of the leading role in a US independent feature film The Shot (1996), and a role in Geoff Murphy's film Spooked (2004). In 2005, he returned to New Zealand and made River Queen.
Vincent Ward (born 16 February 1956) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and artist, who was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 for his contribution to film.
The heart of his story, known as ‘the monks in space’ version, was however not captured in the final film and has since been recognised by the London Times Online, who in 2008 gave it the top spot on their list of 'greatest sci-fi movies never made’. Ward's next film Map of the Human Heart (1993) charts the ebbs and flows of a relationship between an Inuit boy, a Métis girl and a visiting British cartographer.
The film won respectable audiences at home, but initial reviews were disappointing, and tales of the troubled winter shoot dominated the film's release. Rain of the Children followed in 2008, wherein Ward retells the story of Puhi, the elderly Tuhoe woman who was the subject of his earlier documentary In Spring One Plants Alone.
In 1984 at Germany's Hof International Film Festival and in 2008 at Poland's Era New Horizons Film Festival. Since 2010 Ward has launched a second career as a painter and video artist whilst still actively developing new film projects.
In 1984 at Germany's Hof International Film Festival and in 2008 at Poland's Era New Horizons Film Festival. Since 2010 Ward has launched a second career as a painter and video artist whilst still actively developing new film projects.
It is based on a script cowritten by Ward and long term collaborator Louis Nowra. == Painting and photography == In 2010 Craig Potton Publishing published Vincent Ward: The Past Awaits, part mid-career chronicle and part large-format film photo book.
Large-format, full-colour photographic book of images and stories (published in New Zealand by Craig Potton Publishing, 2010). Inhale | Exhale.
They present the spirit of New Zealand. In 2011-2012 Ward launched his art career alongside his filmmaking.
In 2011 he presented Breath an exhibition of paintings, photographs and cinematic installations at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/ Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth.
In 2012 Rhana Devenport curated, Breath, a major solo show of Ward's paintings and video work at New Zealand's cutting edge public gallery, the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth.
This was followed by two other public gallery showings in Auckland and a solo pavilion at the 9th Shanghai Biennale 2012. In October 2020, filming began in Ukraine on Ward's new feature Storm School with further shooting planned in China, UK and Australia in the new year.
This was followed by the 2012 Auckland twin solo exhibitions Inhale and Exhale at the Gus Fisher Gallery and TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, respectively.
To culminate the year Ward was invited to the 9th Shanghai Biennale 2012.
He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream and also trained at Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand where he received a Diploma in Fine Arts (with Honours) in 1978 and in 2014 the University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts and an adjunct professorship. In 1978, at the age of 21, he shot A State of Siege, a medium-length film that adapted a novel by his countrywoman Janet Frame.
And more recently Loom (4 June — July 20, 2019). In 2014 Ward received and honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch and an adjunct professorship.
In 2015 he held a guest professorship at the China Academy of Art, in Hanzhou, as well as spending five weeks on residency at the Shanghai University School of Fine Arts. == Filmography == ==Bibliography== ===By Vincent Ward=== The Navigator, A Medieval Odyssey.
on The Bund. Four years on from the Shanghai show, Ward revealed a new series of work at Trish Clark Gallery in Auckland, Palimpsest / Landscapes (30 August – 23 September 2016).
And more recently Loom (4 June — July 20, 2019). In 2014 Ward received and honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch and an adjunct professorship.
This was followed by two other public gallery showings in Auckland and a solo pavilion at the 9th Shanghai Biennale 2012. In October 2020, filming began in Ukraine on Ward's new feature Storm School with further shooting planned in China, UK and Australia in the new year.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05