 |
||
|
MIKE FIGGIS (Director / Producer / Writer) achieved international critical acclaim and garnered Academy Award nominations for directing and adapting the screenplay for LEAVING LAS VEGAS the powerful, disturbing story of unconditional love between a suicidal alcoholic and an empathetic hooker, starring Nicolas Cage and Elizabeth Shue. Cage won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film, which received a total of four nominations for the drama based on John O'Brien's semi-autobiographical novel.
Figgis' background in experimental theatre and music have contributed to his reputation and success as a filmmaker who thrives on taking artistic risks. Although he has helmed such "mainstream" movies as INTERNAL AFFAIRS, the British-born Figgis exhibited his more eclectic, personal style in films like STORMY MONDAY and LIEBESTRAUM.
Born in Carlisle, England, Figgis lived in Nairobi, Kenya as an infant. When he was eight years old, his family relocated to Newcastle in Northern England. As a youth, Figgis played the trumpet and guitar in various rock bands, including the rhythm and blues group Gas Board, featuring pop star Bryan Ferry.
Upon moving to London, he studied music for three years and began playing with The People Band, who recorded one album for Transatlantic Records which was produced by Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. The People Band would later make a cameo appearance in STORMY MONDAY as The Krakow Jazz Ensemble.
In the early '70s, Figgis joined England's foremost avant-garde theatre group, The People Show, as a musician, but he soon found himself lured into acting. For the following 10 years, The People Show toured the world, earning great success and critical acclaim.
In 1980, Mike left The People Show to concentrate on writing and directing theatre, and formed his own theatre company, The Mike Figgis Group. He crafted multimedia productions that incorporated an extensive use of film. Among his early projects, REDHEUGH 1989, SLOW FADE and ANIMALS OF THE CITY won awards for the innovative blend of live action with music and film. REDHUGH 1980 caught the eye of England's Channel Four, which then financed Figgis' first feature film, THE HOUSE, starring Stephen Rea (The Crying Game).
Figgis' next film, STORMY MONDAY marked his emergence into full-length features. He wrote, directed and scored the film, which was set in Newcastle's steamy jazz club world and starred Melanie Griffith, Tommy Lee Jones and Sting. He then made an impressive debut in American film, directing and co-scoring INTERNAL AFFAIRS with Richard Gere and Andy Garcia.
Kim Novak came out of early retirement to star in Figgis' next film, LIEBESTRAUM, a dark thriller directed and scored by Figgis. Additional directing credits include MR JONES starring Richard Gere and Lena Olin and THE BROWNING VERSION starring Albert Finney, Greta Scacchi and Julian Sands. Figgis also wrote the HBO film MARA a 30-minute piece starring Juliette Binoche and Scott Glenn.
Figgis spent one month chronicling the behind-the-scenes life of the noted avant-garde artist William Forsythe of the Frankfurt Ballet for his documentary JUST DANCING AROUND, which was financed by England's Channel Four. The one-hour piece began airing across Europe in late summer 1996.
More recently, Figgis wrote, directed and scored ONE NIGHT STAND starring Wesley Snipes, Natassja Kinski, and Robert Downey Jr. It received a great deal of international attention and won Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. He has also directed a documentary on English fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. Figgis' latest documentary is about female flamenco dance (FLAMENCO WOMEN). It was shot in Madrid and has been shown on Channel Four with Dutch broadcast VPRO.
FILMOGRAPHY
1984 THE HOUSE
1987 STORMY MONDAY
1989 INTERNAL AFFAIRS
1990 LIEBESTRAUM
1991 MARA
91-92 MR. JONES
1993 THE BROWNING VERSION
1994 VIVIENNE WESTWOOD - ON LIBERTY (Documentary)
1994 LEAVING LAS VEGAS
1995 JUST DANCING AROUND (Documentary)
1996 ONE NIGHT STAND
1997 FLAMENCO WOMEN (Documentary)
1997 THE LOSS OF SEXUAL INNOCENCE
1 of 6