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Christine Jeffs

Christine Jeffs

Christine Jeffs was born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. She graduated from Massey University with a B.A. in Sociology and Geography.

Ms. Jeffs entered the film industry to work in post-production sound. Becoming an assistant editor, she worked on several New Zealand documentaries as well as such feature films as Melanie Read's Send a Gorilla, Gaylene Preston's Ruby and Rata, John Laing's Absent Without Leave, and Alison Maclean's Crush (starring Marcia Gay Harden). In 1990, she completed a diploma in editing at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and began cutting films as well as commercials.

Her first short film, Stroke, which she wrote, directed and edited, was screened at numerous film festivals including Cannes and Sundance. Her first feature film, Rain, for which she adapted the screenplay from Kirsty Gunn's novel, was selected for its World Premiere in the Directors Fortnight at the 2001 Cannes International Film Festival. After enjoying great acclaim at Cannes, Rain was invited to screen all over the world at other film festivals, including Edinburgh, Melbourne, Toronto, and Sundance. Concurrent with its screening at the latter film festival in January 2002, Ms. Jeffs was named one of Daily Variety's 10 Directors to Watch.

Ms. Jeffs has also had a very successful career as a commercials director. In 1999, she topped the New Zealand ADMEDIA poll of creative directors' vote for Best New Zealand Director. For her commercials work, she has been honored with numerous awards, including multiple AXIS Awards and a Bronze Lion at Cannes.

She next plans to direct Wildlife, from her screenplay adaptation of Richard Ford's novel.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2003.

Christine Jeffs Facts

OccupationDirector
BirthplaceLower Hutt, New Zealand

Selected Filmography

Sunshine Cleaning
Sylvia
Rain
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