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Cristopher MongerBritish director, producer, screenwriter, editor
Date of Birth: 09.11.1950
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Christopher Monger
Christopher Monger is a British film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor. He gained recognition for his work in non-commercial, art-house cinema and has received numerous awards at various film festivals.
Early Life and Education
Christopher Monger was born on November 9, 1950, in Wales. He was raised in a creative environment by his parents, who were both avid photographers and skilled painters. His father, a local doctor, also wrote stories and plays, instilling a love for storytelling and visuals in Monger and his younger brother. During their school years, Monger, his brother, and their friend launched a local newspaper, which unfortunately lasted only two years. In addition to his interest in journalism, Monger also enjoyed drawing and held his first professional exhibition at the National Museum of Wales at the age of 16. Following this, he pursued a degree in painting at the Chelsea School of Art in London, where he was awarded the Bidduph Scholarship for his talent in painting. It was during his time at Chelsea that Monger first explored his interest in directing.
Career
In 1974, Monger's short film adaptation of a poem by Chinese poet Han Shan, titled "Cold Mountain," opened the first British Independent Film Festival, establishing Monger as a talented director. After completing his education, Monger returned to Wales and became one of the founders of the "Chapter Film Workshop," a fully-equipped studio that provided opportunities for local talents to create films. Within the first five years of its operation, the studio produced eight feature films and over fifty short films.
Monger's first feature film, "Voice Over," was released in 1981 and gained tremendous success despite being low-budget. It received critical acclaim and was widely recognized at film festivals. Following this, Monger worked as a director and cinematographer in avant-garde theater, traveling throughout Western Europe. After the success of "Voice Over," he relocated to Los Angeles. Throughout his career, Monger directed a total of eight films, including "The Girl from Rio de Janeiro," for which he received the Hollywood Discovery Award, and "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain," which was honored at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1995.
As a screenwriter, Monger received the Christopher Award in 2001 for his screenplay for the film "Seeing Red," directed by Graham Tickton. Currently, the director is working on two upcoming projects.
