Patricia Rozema
Adjunct Professor
Rozema works in an unusual broad range of styles and genres.
LA Times Film Critic, Mark Olson about “A Weekend with Patricia Rozema” May, 2024
“The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Museum and the UCLA Film and Television Archive will jointly present a weekend program dedicated to the work of Canadian filmmaker Patricia Rozema.
Raised a Calvinist, Rozema did not watch a film until she was 16 years old (the first being “The Exorcist”). After attending Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan — also the alma mater of Paul Schrader, more on that later — she moved to Toronto and ultimately made her feature debut with 1987’s semi-autobiographical “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing,” about a young queer woman and aspiring artist trying to navigate the world.
In his initial review of “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing,” LA Times’ Kevin Thomas wrote that the film “is as unique and captivating as its title. Swift, witty, and intimate, it is a remarkably confident first feature that humorously and compassionately exposes the pitfalls in a relationship between two drastically different women. Beyond this, the film also satirizes the risks and pretentiousness of the art world.”
Following the success of her innovative debut, [which sold to 40 countries] and won the Prix de la Jeunesse in the Directors Fortnight section of the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, Rozema went on to create the genre-defying “White Room,” the queer romantic drama “When Night Is Falling,” the Jane Austen adaptation “Mansfield Park” and the theatrical adaptation “Mouthpiece.” Rozema also co-wrote the screenplay for an adaptation of “Grey Gardens.”
“Grey Gardens” received multiple Emmy’s, Golden Globes, SAG, DGA and other awards.
Rozema directed “Six Gestures” as part of the “Yo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach” series debuted at the Venice Film Festival. Rozema’s film was nominated for a Grammy and she was awarded a Prime Time Emmy. And Samuel Beckett’s “Happy Days” in the series Beckett on film. Other directors were Neil Jordon, Anthony Minghella, Atom Egoyan & David Mamet.
Mark Kermode of the BBC described her feature “Mouthpiece” as “brilliantly experimental, engaging and empathetic film” and compared it favourably to the work of Charlie Kaufman.
Also well as the big screen, Rozema has also directed pilots for HBO and Netflix and various episodes for Netflix, Amazon, BBC and CBC.
She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Director’s Guild of America and Canada, Writer’s Guild of America and Canada, paints for amusement and subscribes to the Rare Bird eAlerts for Toronto and Los Angeles.
She is in development on a detective series and a new feature film.
Education
BA, Philosophy, Calvin College and an honorary doctorate from Ontario College of Arts and Design University
