Savanah Leaf (born 24 November 1993) is a British-American film director and video artist. Earth Mama, her BAFTA-winning debut feature length film, was produced by A24 and Film4, and premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Her directorial work includes the notable single-channel video run which first exhibited at Hauser & Wirth from June 24, 2023 until August 30, 2023. Other work also includes music videos for Gary Clark, Jr.'s single This Land (Grammy Award for Best Music Video nominee).
Leaf is a former professional volleyball player and competed for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Early life and education
Leaf was born in London, and raised in Vauxhall early in life. Her family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was age 8. She attended San Jose State University, then transferred to the University of Miami, where she graduated with a degree in psychology while playing NCAA division 1 volleyball. Leaf later received a Masters in Drama from Central Saint Martins, at Drama Centre London. Her mother, Alison Leaf, is a set dresser and animator, who has worked at Pixar and Industrial Light and Magic.
References
- Director Savanah Leaf Joins Academy. 2019-09-27.
- The Poetic Work of Filmmaker Savanah Leaf. 2018-11-28.
- Zilko, Christian (16 May 2023). "'Earth Mama' Trailer: A Single Mom Fights for Survival in Savanah Leaf's Socially Conscious Sundance Hit". IndieWire. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- Savanah Leaf. IMDB.
- London 2012 Archived 2012-08-07 at the Wayback Machine
- "Filmmaker Savanah Leaf's 'Earth Mama' Captures the Complex Experience of Black Motherhood".
- "Savanah Leaf". teamgb.com. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- Erbland, Kate (6 July 2023). "How Savanah Leaf Went from Olympic Athlete to Astonishing New Filmmaker to Watch". IndieWire. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- San Jose State University. "2023 Women's Volleyball Record Book" (PDF).
- "How Bafta winner Savanah Leaf made one of the most striking films of awards season". 18 February 2024.
- "Alison Leaf | Visual Effects, Animation Department". IMDb. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- "Savanah Leaf". University of Miami Athletics. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
External links
BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer | |
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1998–2008 Carl Foreman Award |
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2008–present |
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- 1993 births
- British music video directors
- British women film directors
- British women's volleyball players
- Living people
- Miami Hurricanes women's volleyball players
- Olympic volleyball players for Great Britain
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer BAFTA Award winners
- University of Miami alumni
- Volleyball players at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- British film director stubs
- British sportspeople stubs
- European volleyball biography stubs
- San Jose State Spartans athletes