Onegin

Background:

“... But this film is the product of eight years of work and it's a huge landmark in my life, so it doesn't look like a fast transition from one media to the other for me. I am sure that some people can recognize some style in the film, in the visual and in the montage, that can be seen as similar to that of music videos. Anyway this is a 19th century, lyrical, tender, very highly observed poem, so of course I am not going to cut it like a rock'n'roll video. As far as the adaptation, I feel that is not been a definite process for me, it's been very much about trials and errors, a very natural, human, handmade process which happened over a long period of time.” Martha Fiennes on “Onegin”

British film director, writer and producer Martha Fiennes, the sister of actors Ralph and Joseph Fiennes, has made a number of commercials and music videos before making a successful switch to filmmaking with the movie adaptation of Alexander Pushkin's, “Onegin” (1999). Starring Ralph in the title role of a wearied but gallant aristocrat, the project won Fiennes a London Critics Circle Film Award, a Tokyo International Film Festival Award and a nomination at BAFTA. Fiennes next executive produced the TV miniseries “Ten Days to D-Day” (2004), and directed and wrote the Cannes-premiered “Chromophobia” (2005), which again starring older brother Ralph.

Moviegoers should not miss Fiennes' new film, “Blown,” which is slated for 2009 release. Samuel L. Jackson will star in the upcoming thriller.

The Fiennes

Childhood and Family:

Martha Maria Fiennes was born on February 5, 1965, in London, England, to photographer Mark Fiennes and novelist/painter Jennifer Lash. Part of a salient artistic clan, her brothers, Ralph Fiennes (born on December 1962) and Joseph Fiennes (born on May 27, 1970), are actors, and her sister, Sophie, is a producer. She has two more brothers: musician Magnus and environmentalist Jacob, and a foster named Michael, who is an archaeologist.

Martha is married to cinematographer and filmmaker George Tiffin. The couple has three children: Titan, Mercy and Hero. Her son, Hero, will star as young Tom Riddle on the new “Harry Potter” movie, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” (2008).

Blown

Career:

Martha Fiennes began her show biz career by making music videos and commercials.

However, her true passion was becoming a filmmaker.

“I went to film school knowing from a very early age that I wanted to direct films, but its not the easiest thing to do. You can work for years developing projects, and indeed I was attached to projects, but just to get your first film is very difficult. It was always my intention to direct films. Anyway, when I left film school I happened to fall into making music videos and commercials; I was offered to do that, I didn't chase the industry. I earned my living by working in that industry and I've enjoyed it very much. I maybe could say that it helped me develop a language in cinema that interested me. And it's a visual language. But it was never my raison d'etre to make music videos and commercials. So the final frontier for me was in the feature area. And of course when Ralph first asked me to read this book, because he loved it, I was immediately possessed by it and that's how it all started.” Martha Fiennes (on her transition from directing music videos and commercials to movies).

The younger sister of actor Ralph Fiennes eventually could fulfill her longtime dreams in 1999 when she had the opportunity to direct Ralph, Toby Stephens, Liv Tyler, Lena Headey and Martin Donovan in the drama “Onegin,” based on Alexander Pushkin's poem, “Yevgeny Onegin.” Her work in the film garnered the newcomer a Best Director award from the 1999 Tokyo International Film Festival and a ALFS Award for British Newcomer of the Year at the 2000 London Critics Circle Film. She also received a BAFTA's Alexander Korda nomination in the category of Best British Film. Other honors the film earned include a Russian Guild of Film Critics' Golden Aries for Best Actress (Liv Tyler) and a Golden Satellite nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Also in 1999, Fiennes directed a documentary entitled “Indians' Sacred Spirit,” which she also wrote. It describes the past history and present predicament of the Lakota Indians in South Dakota.

Five years later, Fiennes made her debut as producer with the Brit two-part television film “Ten Days to D-Day” (2004), which was directed by Marion Milne and penned by David Stafford. Her brother, Ralph, also contributed to the WW II miniseries as narrator.

It was in 2005 that Fiennes made her return to the director's chair with “Chromophobia,” which she also wrote. Starring Ben Chaplin, Penélope Cruz, Ian Holm, Kristin Scott Thomas, Damian Lewis and Ralph Fiennes, the drama debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2005 and went on to be shown in such countries as Italy and Spain.

Fiennes' new film, “Blown,” which is scripted by her husband, George Tiffin, is set to be released in 2009. The thriller stars Samuel L. Jackson as Julian Lezard. In addition to directing, Fiennes also serves as producer, a duty she shares with Tiffin and Shani Hinton.

Awards:

• London Critics Circle Film: ALFS Award, British Newcomer of the Year, “Onegin,” 2000

• Tokyo International Film Festival: Best Director, “Onegin,” 1999