Maria Giese

A graduate of Wellesley College and UCLA's Graduate School of Film & Television, Giese completed a short documentary and two short films including the Student Academy Award finalist, "A Dry Heat". She was awarded a Master of Fine Arts degree in film production in 1994.She wrote and directed the British feature film, When Saturday Comes (1996), starring Sean Bean, Emily Lloyd and Pete Postlethwaite. This film, shot on location in Sheffield, England for Capitol Films, was released theatrically around the world in 1996. Giese also wrote, directed and produced the digital feature film, Hunger (2001), her contemporary adaptation of Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun's 1890 existentialist masterpiece. The San Francisco Examiner called the film "A champion", "A shot-on-video wonder" and named it the "The pick of the pack" at the San Francisco Independent Film Festival.In addition, she has written two original feature films and is attached to direct the futuristic thriller, "Matching Blue", as well as the feature film media satire, "Justice". Giese re-wrote North Star (1996) (uncredited), directed by Nils Gaup (Ofelas (1987) (aka Pathfiner)), and starring James Caan, Christopher Lambert and Catherine McCormack. She also wrote the original feature drama, "The Life Story of Che Guevara", and adapted the British novel, "Free To Trade", for Capitol Films.Giese is the recipient of numerous awards including two Cine Eagles, a Kovler Writing Award, a Spotlight Award, First Prize at the American International Film Festival, a Charles Speroni Scholarship, and an MPAA Award of Excellence. She lives in Beverly Hills and is a member of the Directors Guild of America. Show less «