Marina Zenovich | |
|---|---|
| Born | Fresno,California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Documentary filmmaker |
| Notable work | LANCE Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired |
| Spouse | P. G. Morgan |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | George N. Zenovich Vera "Kika" Zenovich |
| Website | https://www.marinazenovichfilm.com |
Marina Zenovich is an American filmmaker known for her biographical documentaries. Her films includeLANCE,Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind,Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic andRoman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, which won two Emmy awards.[1]
Zenovich was born inFresno,California. She is the daughter ofGeorge N. Zenovich, a former California State Senator and Judge of Montenegrin heritage,[2] and Vera "Kika"” Zenovich, who was born inDubrovnik,Croatia. Her sister is actress Ninon Zenovich (aka Ninon Aprea).[3] The Fifth District Court of Appeals Courthouse in Fresno is named after her father.[4] When he died in 2013, she made a film for the memorial service to celebrate his life.[5]
Zenovich graduated[6] fromBullard High School in Fresno, California. Zenovich first studied drama at theUniversity of Southern California and then switched majors, graduating with a degree in journalism.[7] During college, she worked for Hollywood producerMike Frankovich and also in the press department of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. Following graduation, Zenovich moved to New York City, where she acted in short films and off-Broadway plays. Zenovich studied acting at theWilliam Esper Studio in Manhattan, furthering her studies with Ron Burrus andStella Adler. She later acted in several movies includingRobert Altman'sThe Player and actressTalia Shire'sOne Night Stand.[8] Zenovich's voiceover work includes Alex Gibney'sGoing Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.[9] She is also the voice of a rubber band in the 2011 children's filmBands on the Run.[10]
In 1997, Zenovich began working as a segment producer onJohn Pierson's TV seriesSplit Screen, which was broadcast on theIndependent Film Channel.[11] Due to her work onSplit Screen, she became interested in becoming a director and working on feature documentaries.
Shot in 1996–1997, Zenovich's first filmIndependent's Day premiered at theSlamdance Film Festival in 1998. The documentary was inspired by the three filmmakers who founded the aforementioned festival, after being rejected by the more establishedSundance Film Festival.[12] Zenovich's documentary explores the struggles of independent filmmakers and includes interviews withSteven Soderbergh,Greg Mottola,Tom DiCillo,Eric Schaeffer,Sydney Pollack,Parker Posey,Roger Ebert,John Pierson, among others.[13]
While screeningIndependent's Day on the festival circuit, Zenovich met investor Bob Sturm, who hired her to work at his new film company, Catch 23 Entertainment. Zenovich started out in the development department and went on to become Senior Vice President of Film Development & Production, while continuing to make documentaries on the side.[14][15]
Zenovich's next film idea came about in 1997, after a screening at theDirectors Guild of America, where French filmmakerClaude Lelouch introduced his filmHommes, femmes, mode d'emploi.[16] Lelouch mentioned that the star of the film,Bernard Tapie, was in jail, prompting Zenovich to find out why.[17] She spent several years going back and forth to Paris, shooting footage forWho Is Bernard Tapie?[18] Unable to get an interview with Tapie, Zenovich filmed herself as she tried to contact the actor/businessman, hoping to get his attention. The 2001 documentary, withSteven Soderbergh as its executive producer, was aired on theSundance Channel and as an episode of theBBC'sStoryville series. Zenovich was also profiled inThe New York Times about her quest to make the documentary.[17]
Zenovich also appeared on camera in her following filmEstonia Dreams of Eurovision! She traveled toTallinn,Estonia to document the preparations leading up to hosting theEurovision Song Contest. The 2003 film was broadcast as part of the BBC seriesArena and also on the Sundance Channel. It was produced byVikram Jayanti.[19]
In the early 2000s, Zenovich worked on the seriesArt in Progress for Gallery HD, an arts channel part ofVoom HD Networks.[20] She traveled the world filming profiles of artists as they prepared for major exhibitions.[21] Her episodes include:Tim Noble & Sue Webster: Now Here (in Athens, Greece);Julian Schnabel in Naples;David Lynch in Milan;Vanessa Beecroft in Berlin;Robert Wilson: Video Portraits (in Paris);Takashi Murakami (in Los Angeles);John Baldessari (in Belgium);Damien Elwes (in Santa Monica); andSam Maloof (in Claremont).[22]
Zenovich came up with the subject of her next documentary film, after reading a story in theLos Angeles Times in 2003. The article questioned whether directorRoman Polanski could re-enter the United States, if nominated for an Oscar forThe Pianist. Polanski had fled the U.S. in the late 1970s after being accused of sexual assault of a minor.
Five years in the making, Zenovich'sRoman Polanski: Wanted and Desired premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, receiving wide media attention.[23] The film's editorJoe Bini won the award for Best Editing.[24] The documentary received a Special Screening at theCannes Film Festival.[25] Entertainment Weekly called it "A film of rare fascination and power."[26] The film also won two Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming (shared withJoe Bini &P.G. Morgan).[27]Wanted and Desired was selected by theNational Board of Review as one of the Best Documentaries of 2008.[28]
Soon after its release, Polanski's legal team used the filmRoman Polanski: Wanted and Desired as part of their argument for reopening the 30 year old case.[29] Since her documentary about the film director was being used as evidence, Zenovich decided to continue shooting the story. The result was a follow-up film,Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out.
The second documentary was originally meant to examine how the central characters felt about the incident. Zenovich filmedSamantha Gailey and her mother in Hawaii, and also planned on meeting Polanski for an interview. However, two months before the scheduled interview, Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on his way to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at theZurich Film Festival.[30][31] As a result, Zenovich's follow-up film became linked to a big international news story.
Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out debuted at theToronto Film Festival in 2012 and subsequently played at theNew York Film Festival, also airing on theShowtime network.[32]
Zenovich's next film,Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic, was made for Showtime and executive produced by Roy Ackerman.[33] The documentary features interviews withRobin Williams, Mike Epps,Bob Newhart,Mel Brooks, David Banks,Whoopi Goldberg and an interview with Pryor's lawyer Skip Brittenham. Zenovich came up with the film's title during her interview with writer David Banks, who stated: "With Richard, you have to omit the logic."[34]
The documentary premiered at theTribeca Film Festival in 2013 where Zenovich participated in a discussion with Tracy Morgan, Wyatt Cenac, Walter Mosley and Jennifer Pryor. The panel was moderated by writer Jacob Bernstein.[35]Omit the Logic won theNAACP Image Award for Best Television Documentary. The film's editor Chris A. Peterson was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Editing.[36]
In 2014, Zenovich addressed another controversial story, the 2006Duke Lacrosse scandal.[37] The resulting film,Fantastic Lies, was aired onESPN's30 for 30 series and earned positive reviews.[38] The documentary premiered atSXSW Film Festival in 2016, also receiving nominations for Best Sports Documentary and Best TV/Streaming Documentary at theCritics Choice Awards.[39]
In 2016, Zenovich took on the California water crisis.[40] Her documentaryWater & Power: A California Heist premiered at theSundance Film Festival in 2017 and was nominated for the Grand Jury prize.[41] The film also played in theaters and aired on theNational Geographic Channel.[42][43]
In 2018, Zenovich returned toSundance for the third time with her HBO feature documentary,Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind. The film played six sell-out screenings and received positive reviews.[44] It was also screened at theNantucket Film Festival[45] and had a firstHBO broadcast on July 16, 2018.[46][47] That same summer, the documentary was shown at the Hamptons International Film Festival SummerDocs, accompanied by a discussion with Zenovich and Q&A hostAlec Baldwin.[48][49][50]Variety described the film as being "sharp-edged, humane, and deeply researched enough to take you closer to the manic engine of Williams’ brilliance and pain".[44]
The documentary celebrates the life and career of comedianRobin Williams, who died in 2014.[51][50] Zenovich recorded interviews withWhoopi Goldberg,David Letterman andBilly Crystal, among others. She also included outtakes and little known clips fromWilliams' stand-up routines, after sifting through a large amount of archival footage.[52][48][44] Describing the process as laborious yet amazing, Zenovich stated that, "Anytime you make a movie, no matter how many you’ve made, it’s like you’re doing it for the first time."[48]
In 2020, Marina Zenovich once again returned toSundance with her two-part filmLANCE for ESPN.[53]
Zenovich is an active member of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, theDirectors Guild of America and the International Documentary Association.
ForRoman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, Zenovich won two Emmys for writing and directing for non-fiction programming.[1] She also garnered one nomination for producing. At theSundance Film Festival, the documentary was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize and won an award for film editing.
2017 – Sundance Film Festival – Water & Power: A California Heist
2016 – SXSW Film Festival – SXSW Gamechanger Award Nominee – Fantastic Lies
2016 – Critics Choice Award – Best Documentary Feature (TV/Streaming), Best Sports Documentary – Fantastic Lies
2013 – NAACP Image Award – Best Documentary – Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
2009 – Emmy Winner – Writing for Non-Fiction Programming, Directing – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
2009 – Emmy Nominee – Non-Fiction Special – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
2008 – Sundance Film Festival – Documentary Film Editing Award – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
2008 – Libertas Film Festival (Dubrovnik, Croatia) – Best Documentary Film – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Sundance Film Festival – LANCE
Sundance Film Festival – Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind;Water & Power: A California Heist;Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Hamptons International Film Festival’s SummerDoc series:Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Munich International Film Festival – Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival:Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Provincetown International Film Festival – Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Nantucket Film Festival – Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Cannes Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
New York Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out
Toronto Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out
Tribeca Film Festival – Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
SXSW Film Festival – Independent's Day, Fantastic Lies
Slamdance Film Festival – Independent's Day
Los Angeles Film Festival – Who Is Bernard Tapie?
Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Independent's Day
IDFA – Independent's Day;Who Is Bernard Tapie?;Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
Sheffield International Film Festival – Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
Deauville Film Festival – Who Is Bernard Tapie?;Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Torino Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Edinburgh Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Zurich Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired;Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out
Melbourne International Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Oldenburg Film Festival – Who Is Bernard Tapie?
Libertas Film Festival – Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Zenovich is married to the British writer and producerP.G. Morgan. They have one son.[citation needed]
