Floria Sigismondi

Life and career

Sigismondi was born in Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy. Her parents, Lina and Domenico Sigismondi, were opera singers. Her family, including her sister Antonella, moved to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada when she was two. In her childhood she became obsessed by drawing and painting. Starting in 1987, she studied painting and illustration at the Ontario College of Art, today's Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCADU). When she took a photography course, she became obsessed once more, and graduated with a photography major.

Sigismondi started a career as a fashion photographer. She came to directing music videos when she was approached by the production company The Revolver Film Co., and directed music videos for a number of Canadian bands. Her very innovative, but also very disturbing video works, located in sceneries she once described as "entropic underworlds inhabited by tortured souls and omnipotent beings," attracted a number of very prominent musicians. She has further described her works as, "Something quite textural and brutal" and something quite beautiful and light. It's like blending two worlds."

With her photography and sculpture installations she had solo exhibitions in Hamilton and Toronto, New York City, Brescia (Italy), Gothenburg (Sweden), and London. Her photographs also were included in numerous group exhibitions, together with artists such as Cindy Sherman, Joel-Peter Witkin, and Francesco Clemente. The German art press Die Gestalten Verlag has published two monographs of her photography, Redemption (1999) and Immune (2005). Sigismondi also willingly creates her own set props for various music video productions such as, Perfume Genius's "Die 4 U". "If I don't create them myself, I design or draw them, I can get quite tactile detailed as far as what I see." She has an affinity for strange yet alluring things and created a flesh-esque chair to appeal to the sexual tension and desire to the spectator.[[File:Floria Sigismond, Cherie Currie, Dakota Fanning, Kristen Stewart 5.jpg|thumb|Floria Sigismondi, Cherie Currie, Dakota Fanning, Kristen Stewart]]

Film director

Sigismondi's first feature-length film was The Runaways, a period piece about the 1970s all-girl rock and roll band The Runaways. The film is largely about the relationship between Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. Sigismondi wrote the screenplay based on Currie's book Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway. The film premiered in 2010 at the Sundance Film Festival and was released in Canada and the United States in March 2010.

In 2020, Sigismondi directed the horror film The Turning, which was inspired by the 1898 Henry James novella The Turn of the Screw, and stars Mackenzie Davis and Finn Wolfhard.

Filmography

Short film

• Postmortem Bliss (2006)
• Leaning Towards Solace (2012)

Feature film

• The Runaways (2010)
• The Turning (2020)
• The Silence of Mercy (TBA)

Television

Music videos (selection)

Director

Cinematographer

• 2000 "4 Ton Mantis", Amon Tobin

Awards (selection)

• 2024 UK Music Video Awards - Icon Award
• 2013 MTV Music Video Award, USA - Winner for Video of The Year, for Mirrors (Justin Timberlake)
• 2004 Juno Awards, Canada - Best Music Video, for "Fighter" (Christina Aguilera)
• 2003 MTV European Awards - Best International Video Award, for Untitled (Sigur Rós)
• 2003 New York Underground Film Festival - Audio/Visual Award, for Untitled (Sigur Rós)
• 2003 Advertising and Design Awards, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Special Merit Award for Music Video, for "Fighter" (Christina Aguilera)
• 1999 German Kodak Photobook Award, for her book Redemption
• 1998 British Music Video Awards, UK - Nomination for Best Video: "Little Wonder" (David Bowie)
• 1997 MTV Music Video Awards, USA - Nomination for Best Rock Video: "Beautiful People" (Marilyn Manson)

References

References

1. "Official web site: Floria Sigismondi".
2. Nobil, Taryn. (13 October 2017). "Director Floria Sigismondi Talks David Bowie, 'The Handmaid's Tale,' 'Fleshy' Love and Fellini".
3. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (24 August 2017). "Floria Sigismondi To Direct Henry James-Inspired 'The Turning' For Amblin".
4. "Rita Chiarelli: This Is My Life (Video 1992) - IMDb".
5. "I Mother Earth: Not Quite Sonic (Video 1993) - IMDb".
6. "The Tea Party: A Certain Slant of Light (Video 1993) - IMDb".
7. "The Tea Party: Save Me (Video 1993) - IMDb".
8. "The Tea Party: The River (Video 1993) - IMDb".
9. (Mar 1994). "Our Lady Peace: The Birdman (Video 1994) - IMDb".
10. "Blue: Harem Scarem (Video 1995) - IMDb".
11. (Jul 1996). "Catherine: Four Leaf Clover (Video 1996) - IMDb".
12. (19 March 2010). "'The Runaways' Director Floria Sigismondi's 10 Best Music Videos - MTV".
13. (22 September 1996). "Marilyn Manson: The Beautiful People (Video 1996) - IMDb".
14. (Oct 1996). "Pure: Anna Is a Speed Freak (Video 1996) - IMDb".
15. (Dec 1996). "Marilyn Manson: Tourniquet (Video 1996) - IMDb".
16. "David Bowie, Floria Sigismondi. Little Wonder. 1997". MoMA.
17. "Film".
18. (Mar 1997). "Fluffy: Black Eye (Video 1997) - IMDb".
19. (14 April 1997). "David Bowie: Dead Man Walking (Video 1997) - IMDb".
20. (14 April 1997). "Tricky: Makes Me Wanna Die (Video 1997) - IMDb".
21. (29 July 1997). "Filter Feat. The Crystal Method: Can't You - Trip Like I Do (Video 1997) - IMDb".
22. (13 February 1998). "Hear and Now: Feb. 13, 1998". Entertainment Weekly.
23. (Mar 1998). "Jimmy Page & Robert Plant: Most High (Video 1998) - IMDb".
24. "Curve: Chinese Burn (Video 1998) - IMDb".
25. (4 April 1998). "Barry Adamson: Can't Get Loose (Video 1998) - IMDb".
26. (Nov 1999). "Amel Larrieux: Get Up (Video 1999) - IMDb".
27. "Björk: I've Seen It All, Webeo Version (Video 2000) - IMDb".
28. (Dec 2006). "4 Ton Mantis. Videoclip di Amon Tobin diretto da Floria Sigismondi - CultFrame - Arti Visive".
29. "2002 - Best Video - Floria Sigismondi, Leonard Cohen - The JUNO Awards".
30. (26 August 2002). "Barry Adamson: Black Amour (Video 2002) - IMDb".
31. (10 March 2003). "2003 Music Video Production Association Awards". Billboard.
32. (3 June 2010). "Artist Profile: Interview with Floria Sigismondi".
33. "2004 - Video of the Year - Sigur Ros, Floria Sigismondi - The JUNO Awards".
34. "Martina Topley-Bird: Anything (Video 2003) - IMDb".
35. "Living Things: Bombs Below, Version 1 (Video 2003) - IMDb".
36. "2004 - Video of the Year - Christina Aguilera, Floria Sigismondi - The JUNO Awards".
37. "2005 - Video of the Year - Floria Sigismondi - The JUNO Awards".
38. (10 May 2004). "Incubus: Talk Shows on Mute (Video 2004) - IMDb".
39. "Living Things: Bombs Below, Version 2 (Video 2004) - IMDb".
40. "2006 - Video of the Year - Living Things, Floria Sigismondi - The JUNO Awards".
41. (22 May 2006). "Muse "Supermassive Black Hole" (Dir: Floria Sigismondi)".
42. "Billy Talent - Red Flag (CD) at Discogs".
43. "2007 - Video of the Year - Christina Aguilera, Floria Sigismondi - The JUNO Awards".
44. (22 January 2009). "Living Things' Let It Rain by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
45. (23 March 2010). "The Dead Weather's Dark "Die By the Drop" Video Surfaces". Rolling Stone.
46. (1 April 2011). "Katy Perry's ET (feat. Kanye West) by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
47. (16 November 2011). "Katy Perry 'The One That Got Away' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
48. (11 November 2011). "Living Things: Har Megiddo (Video 2011) - IMDb".
49. (20 April 2012). "Living Things: Fake It Baby, Fake It - La Dame Nature (Video 2012) - IMDb".
50. (11 September 2012). "Ellie Goulding 'Anything Can Happen' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
51. (10 October 2012). "Pink's 'Try' Video: Daring Choreography and Sexy Paint". Billboard.
52. (10 October 2012). "Pink: Try (Video 2012) - IMDb".
53. (14 December 2012). "Sigur Ros 'Leaning Towards Solace' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
54. (6 December 2012). "Sigur Rós: Leaning Towards Solace (Video 2012) - IMDb".
55. (26 February 2013). "David Bowie 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
56. (27 February 2013). "David Bowie: The Stars (Are Out Tonight) (Video 2013) - IMDb".
57. (21 March 2013). "Justin Timberlake 'Mirrors' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
58. (19 March 2013). "Justin Timberlake: Mirrors (Video 2013) - IMDb".
59. (14 May 2013). "David Bowie 'The Next Day' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
60. (30 April 2013). "David Bowie: The Next Day (Video 2013) - IMDb".
61. (20 June 2013). "Lawrence Rothman 'Montauk Fling' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
62. (16 September 2013). "Lawrence Rothman's '#1 All Time Low' Video Is The Creepiest Thing You'll See Today". HuffPost.
63. (17 October 2013). "Lawrence Rothman – Fatal Attraction: New music". The Guardian.
64. (20 October 2015). "Lawrence Rothman ft. Angel Olsen 'California Paranoia' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
65. (29 October 2015). "Lawrence Rothman – Oz vs. Eden". HUNGER TV.
66. (9 December 2015). "Lawrence Rothman: Users (Video 2015) - IMDb".
67. (15 January 2016). "Lawrence Rothman reveals new "H" video by Bowie director Floria Sigismondi".
68. (3 July 2016). "Rihanna 'Sledgehammer' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
69. (30 June 2016). "Rihanna: Sledgehammer (Video 2016) - IMDb".
70. (11 May 2017). "Perfume Genius 'Die 4 You' by Floria Sigismondi". Promo News.
71. (10 August 2017). "Alice Glass "Without Love" (Floria Sigismondi, dir.)". Videostatic.
72. (16 August 2017). "Watch Lawrence Rothman's Heartbreaking "Ain't Afraid Of Dying"". The FADER.
73. (5 September 2017). "Lawrence Rothman f/ Kim Gordon "Designer Babies" (Floria Sigismondi, dir.)". Videostatic.
74. (19 September 2017). "Lawrence Rothman's New Video for "Jordan" Is a Tender Sci-Fi Dreamscape". Noisey.
75. (2022-09-30). "Watch Sam Smith and Kim Petras in Underground Sex Club in 'Unholy' Video".