Celine Held
{{Short description|American and British film director, writer, and actress}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Celine Held
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1990}}{{cite news|url=https://tisch.nyu.edu/alumni/alumni-news/sxsw-2020-film|title=SXSW 2020 Film Awards|work=New York University|date=April 15, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}}
| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| education = New York University {{small|(BFA)}}
| occupation = Director, writer, actress
| website = {{url|celineheld.com|Official website}}
}}
Celine Held is an American and British film director, writer, and actress. Her debut feature film Topside, co-directed with her partner Logan George, premiered at the 77th Venice International Film Festival.{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/venice-critics-week-lineup-includes-the-rossellinis-and-u-s-drama-topside-1234712161/|title=Venice Critics' Week Lineup to Include 'The Rossellinis,' U.S. drama 'Topside|author=Nick Vivarelli|publisher=Variety|date=July 21, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Her short film Caroline that she co-wrote, co-directed and starred in, was nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/cannes-announces-short-films-selection-for-2018-competition-and-cinefondation/5128198.article |title=Cannes announces short films selection for 2018 Competition and Cinéfondation|author=Ben Dalton| magazine=Screen Daily |date=April 11, 2018|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Her additional short film work has premiered at Sundance Film Festival and at South by Southwest.{{cite magazine |url=https://womenandhollywood.com/venice-2020-women-directors-meet-celine-held-topside/|title=Venice 2020 Women Directors: Meet Celine Held – "Topside"|author=Cody Corrall| magazine=Women and Hollywood |date=September 3, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}}
Early life and education
Held is a US and UK citizen.{{cite news|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movies/2020/08/28/Venice-Film-Festival-Topside-Celine-Held-Butler-PA-ELO-Films/stories/202008240070|title=Butler native and Vincentian alum to premiere movie at Venice Film Festival|author=Maria Sciullo|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=August 28, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}}
Career
= Short films =
Held and George's first short film, Mouse, premiered at South by Southwest in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.sxsw.com/film/2017/2017-sxsw-film-festival-selections-midnight-shorts-video/|title=2017 SXSW Film Festival Selections: Midnight Shorts [Video]|author=Claudette Godfrey|work=South by Southwest|date=October 25, 2017|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Held was then named among the "25 New Faces of Independent Film" in Filmmaker Magazine's annual list with her partner Logan George in 2017.{{cite magazine|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/people/celine-held-and-logan-george/#.X5xxDS9h3BI|title=Celine Held and Logan George|author=Scott Macaulay|magazine=Filmmaker Magazine|date=October 25, 2018|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Their second short film Lockdown premiered at Sundance Film Festival.{{cite news|url=https://www.sundance.org/blogs/news/2019-sundance-film-festival-episodic-shorts-special-events|title=2019 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: INDIE EPISODIC, SHORTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS ANNOUNCED|work=Sundance Film Festival|date=December 3, 2018|accessdate=October 30, 2020}}
Held and George's short film Caroline was nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and South by Southwest.{{cite web|url=https://www.sxsw.com/film/2018/2018-sxsw-film-festival-selections-narrative-shorts-video/|title=2018 SXSW Film Festival Selections: Narrative Shorts [Video]|author=Claudette Godfrey|work=South by Southwest|date=November 26, 2018|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Caroline was also short-listed for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 91st Academy Awards.{{cite magazine|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/106569-short-film-caroline-directed-by-celine-held-and-logan-george/#.X5xyoy9h3BI|title=Short Film: Caroline, Directed by Celine Held and Logan George|author=Sarah Salovaara |magazine=Filmmaker Magazine|date=December 20, 2018|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Held also played the mother of the titular character in Caroline, a role that she reprised for Held and George's feature film debut Topside.
= ''Feature Films'' =
Held and George's first feature film Topside premiered at 77th Venice International Film Festival.{{cite news|url=http://www.butlereagle.com/article/20200722/NEWS20/707229889|title='Topside' to launch at Venice|author=Eric Freehling|work=Butler Eagle|date=July 22, 2020|accessdate=October 30, 2020}} Topside won the Mario Serandrei Award for Best Technical Achievement at Venice,{{cite news|url=https://www.thewrap.com/nomadland-wins-golden-lion-award-at-venice-film-festival/|title='Nomadland' Wins Golden Lion Award at Venice Film Festival|author=Steve Pond|work=The Wrap|date=September 12, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} and the jury award for Best Director at South by Southwest.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/sxsw-film-festival-winners-coronavirus-1203543164/|title=SXSW Film Festival Unveils 2020 Winners After Cancellation|author=Dave McNary|work=Variety|date=March 24, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Topside has been praised by critics, landing on The Hollywood Reporter's list of the 20 Best Films From the Toronto and Venice Festivals.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/hollywood-reporter-critics-picks-20-best-films-from-the-toronto-and-venice-festivals|title='Hollywood Reporter Critics' Picks: 20 Best Films From the Toronto and Venice Festivals'|author=David Rooney, Jordan Mintzer, Deborah Young, Stephen Dalton, Sheri Linden, Boyd van Hoeij|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 19, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter said the film is "a striking debut, cinematic and affecting."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/topside-film-review-venice-2020|title=Topside Film Review, Venice 2020|author=Sheri Linden|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 8, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Eric Kohn of Indiewire called the debut film "riveting," saying, "Logan George and Celine Held's debut is a taut mother-daughter survivor story with a breakthrough performance [at] its center."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/09/topside-review-venice-1234585057/|title='Topside' Review: A Child Raised Beneath the NYC Subways Sees the Light in Riveting Debut|author=Eric Kohn|magazine=Indiewire|date=September 8, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}}
Held has also been praised for her pivotal role in Topside, with critics calling her performance "harrowing," "unnerving," and "gutwrenching."{{cite web|url=https://theplaylist.net/topside-venice-review-20200909/|title='Topside': A Mother & Daughter Struggle To Survive New York's Underground Tunnels In A Wrenching Drama [Venice Review]|author=Rodrigo Perez|work=The Playlist|date=September 9, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}}
Held & George's research for their feature film debut Topside has been extensive. The pair created a documentary on homelessness 50 Moments, which premiered at South by Southwest.{{cite news|url=https://www.sxsw.com/news/2020/announcing-sxsw-2020-art-program-installations/|title=Announcing SXSW 2020 Art Program Installations|author=Hailey Hess|work=SXSW|date=February 5, 2020|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} Held & George spent time in the tunnels before filming on Topside, and credit the inspiration for the film to books The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City by Jennifer Toth and The Tunnel: the Underground Homeless of New York City by Margaret Morton.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.sxsw.com/film/2020/logan-george-and-celine-held-discuss-their-drama-topside-sxsw-filmmaker-in-focus/|title=Logan George and Celine Held Discuss Their Drama Topside – SXSW Filmmaker In Focus|author=Neha Aziz|magazine=South by Southwest|date=March 2, 2020|accessdate=October 30, 2020}}
Held again collaborated with George to co-direct the 2024 thriller film Caddo Lake, released as an Max exclusive.{{Cite AV media |url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt15552142/ |title=Caddo Lake (2024) ⭐ 6.7 {{!}} Drama, Mystery, Thriller |language=en-US |access-date=2024-10-11 |via=m.imdb.com}} The film, originally titled Vanishings and later The Vanishings at Caddo Lake before being renamed for a final time before release, was filmed in 2021. The film stars Dylan O'Brien and Eliza Scanlen, Caddo Lake was produced by M. Night Shyamalan under his Blinding Edge Pictures banner.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm3961122}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Held, Celine}}
Category:Actresses from Pittsburgh
Category:Film directors from Pennsylvania
Category:21st-century British actresses
Category:New York University alumni
Category:American women film directors