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Tamara Jenkins Biography (1963?-)

Born c. 1963; raised in Southern California; daughter of a strip club owner and car salesperson and a hat check person. Religion: Judaism. Career: Director, screenwriter, and actress. Also worked as a solo performanceartist. Member: Directors Guild of America. Awards, Honors: Student Academy Awards, regional winner and finalist, and Fellowship Prize, RiminiCinema Film Festival, all 1992, and First Place Mobil Award, graduate division, all for Fugitive Love; Sundance Film Festival Award, special recognition for excellence in short filmmaking, Locarno Film Festival Award, special recognition award for excellence, and selection as part of the New Directors/New Films Festival at the Museum of Modern Art, all 1994, for FamilyRemains; Guggenheim fellow for filmmaking, 1995; Sundance Institute Screenwriting and Filmmakers' Lab fellow, 1995; Independent Spirit Award nominations, best first feature (with Michael Nozik and Stan Wlodkowski) and bestfirst screenplay, 1999, both for The Slums of Beverly Hills. Addresses: Contact: Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles,CA 90046.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Director, Screenwriter, Actress

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Work
• Director, Unless Otherwise Noted
• And editor, Fugitive Love (short film), Boyfriend Productions, 1991
• Family Remains (short film), Boyfriend Productions, 1993
• The Slums of Beverly Hills, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1998
• Stage Appearances
• Suzy, "Terry Won't Talk," Terry by Terry, Manhattan Punch Line, New York City, 1988
• Eleanor, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA, 1990-91
• Appeared as a performing artist at various venues, including the AmericanRepertory Theatre, Performance Stage 122, Brattle Theatre, Home for Contemporary Theatre and Art, Creative Time, and the Kentucky Center for the Arts.
• Major Tours
• Cosette, Les Miserables, U.S. cities, beginning in 1987
• WRITINGS
• Screenplays
• Family Remains (short film), Boyfriend Productions, 1993
• The Slums of Beverly Hills, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1998
• Writings for the Stage
• Wrote performance pieces produced at various venues, including the American Repertory Theatre, Performance Stage 122, Brattle Theatre, Home for Contemporary Theatre and Art, Creative Time, and the Kentucky Center for the Arts.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• Entertainment Weekly, August 21, 1998, p. 96.
• Independent, November 26, 1998, p. S13.
• Los Angeles Magazine, August 26, 1998, pp. 136-137.
• Newsweek, August 17, 1998, p. 61.
• People Weekly, August 31, 1998, p. 31.*