Choosing material that is thought-provoking and controversial, Catherine Hardwicke’s films have helped to redefine popular culture, showcase notable figures from the past, and raise light on important social issues. At the helm, Hardwicke’s passion for storytelling and attention to detail help create films rich in visual texture and narrative depth.
Hardwicke is currently preparing for the Jan. 25th release of her Sony film Miss Bala, a reimagining of the 2011 Spanish film of the same name. Miss Bala stars Gina Rodriguez and Ismael Cruz Cordova and centers on Gloria, L.A. makeup artist, who visits her best friend Suzu in Tijuana . Suzu goes missing at a club and while Gloria is searching for her, Gloria is kidnapped by Lino, a young cartel leader, and forced to work for him in order to rescue Suzu. The DEA gets involved and Gloria has to dig deep to find the strength to turn the tables on everyone —including her complex and charismatic captor Lino — and escape.
Hardwicke’s most recent film, Miss You Already was an intimate look at the lives of two dynamic best friends and their families as they go through very challenging times starring Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper and Jacqueline Bisset. The film premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. Also in 2015, Hardwicke directed the video for the Oscar nominated song by Lady Gaga and Diane Warren: “Til It Happens to You.” The video highlighted the rape crisis on college campuses as exposed in the documentary The Hunting Ground.
Hardwicke’s first film as a director was the critically-acclaimed Thirteen, which garnered numerous awards and nominations including the Director’s Award at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, Golden Globe nominations for Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood, an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Holly Hunter and an Independent Spirit Award for Nikki Reed.
She has since become best known as the director of Twilight, which launched the worldwide blockbuster franchise, The Twilight Saga and earned nearly $400 million at the worldwide box office . Her book, The Twilight Director’s Notebook, was an international best seller, translated into 20 languages. Other credits include the classic skateboard film with Heath Ledger and Emile Hirsch, Lords of Dogtown, Red Riding Hood with Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman, The Nativity Story with Oscar Isaac and Keisha Castle-Hughes, Plush with Emily Browning, and PSA’s for the National Women’s History Museum and We the Economy.
Hardwicke has recently ventured into television, directing episodes of This is Us, Hell on Wheels, Low Winter Sun and the pilot of Reckless and EyeWitness, as well as developing original series at multiple studios.
Hardwicke previously worked as a production designer on films directed by Richard Linklater, David O. Russell, Cameron Crowe, Lisa Cholodenko, and Costa Gavras. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from UT Austin, and did graduate work in animation at UCLA Film School. She frequently works as a mentor at labs for the Sundance Institute, Film Independent, and the Ghetto Film School and teaches workshops at film schools and film festivals around the world.