Karyn Kusama

1968 – Present

Featured in
Growing Up

Biography

Karyn Kiyoko Kusama (born March 21, 1968) is an American filmmaker. She made her directorial and writing feature film debut with the sports drama Girlfight (2000) for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Kusama went on to direct the science fiction action film Æon Flux (2005), based on Peter Chung's animated series of the same name and the cult horror comedy film Jennifer's Body (2009). After working extensively as a television director, Kusama directed the horror film The Invitation (2015), a segment in the all-female horror anthology film XX (2017), and the Nicole Kidman-starring crime thriller film Destroyer (2018). Among her accolades, Kusama has received awards from the Cannes Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival.

Selected Filmography

Selected Recognition

  1. Nominee

    Saturn Award · Best Director (2019) · Nominee

  2. Nominee

    Bonnie Award · Film Independent (2019) · Nominee

  1. Winner

    Sitges Film Festival · Best Film (2015) · Winner

  1. Winner

    Sundance Film Festival · Grand Jury Prize, Sundance Directing Award, Cannes Prix de la Jeunesse (2000) · Winner

  2. Nominee

    Independent Spirit Award · Best First Feature nomination (2001) · Nominee

Interview

External Resources