Marc Munden
Marc Munden | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| Occupation | Director |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Honours | British Academy of Film and Television Arts Royal Television Society Award International Emmy Award Peabody Award |
Marc Mundenis an Englishfilm directorbest known for his work onUtopia,National TreasureandThe Mark of Cainamong others.
Early life[edit]
Munden was born inLondon, England.His father, Maxwell Munden, was a filmmaker who made films for theMinistry of Information (United Kingdom)duringWorld War 2.[1]One such film wasSong of the Peoplewhich was a musical about factory workers. Munden studied Maths and Philosophy atUniversity College London.[2]
Career[edit]
Munden began his career as an assistant toMike Leigh,Derek Jarman,andTerence Daviesbefore directing documentaries for television at theBBC.
His first film,Bermondsey Boy(1991), was a documentary examining some of the myths of masculinity, which won a Silver Plaque at theChicago International Film Festivaland was nominated for theBFIAward for Innovation.
In 2007 Munden directedThe Mark of Cain,picking up the BAFTA Award for Best Single Drama and earning Munden his first nomination for Best Director. He also received BAFTA nominations forThe Devil's Whore(2009) andThe Crimson Petal and the White(2011).
Utopia[edit]
Munden went on to direct the cult hitUtopia(2013–2014). The series received high praise for its striking visuals, but also some expressions of concern about its violence. Mark Monahan ofThe Daily Telegraphdescribed it as “a dark, tantalisingly mysterious overture,”[3]while Sam Wollaston ofThe Guardiancalled it “a work of brilliant imagination,” “a 21st-century nightmare” that “looks beautiful,” but also wondered about the gratuitousness of its violence.[4]The series won anInternational Emmy Award for Best Drama Seriesin 2014 and Munden received a BAFTA nomination for Best Director.
2016 - present: Awards success[edit]
In 2016 Munden directedNational TreasurestarringRobbie Coltrane,Julie WaltersandAndrea Riseborough.The series focuses on a beloved British TV comic who gets accused of rape. Over the course of the series, the show examines the psychology of this man as well as how his family perceive him.National Treasurereceived critical acclaim upon release with many reviewers noting the sensitivity ofJack Thorne's screenwriting, the nuanced character portrayals and Munden's distinctive artistic style.[5]Munden would go on to win the BAFTA for Best Director and the series overall won Best Miniseries.
In 2017 Munden teamed up with writerTony Grisonito makeCrazy Diamondas part of theChannel 4/Amazon Videoanthology seriesPhilip K. Dick's Electric Dreams.[6]
In 2018 it was announced that Munden was to helm the filmThe Secret Gardenfor David Heyman & Studiocanal. Based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 book, the story centers on Mary Lennox, a troubled, sickly, 10-year-old orphan who is sent to live with an uncle in England when her parents die in a cholera outbreak.
In 2020, Munden reunited withUtopiacreatorDennis Kelly,directing the first three episodes of Kelly'sHBOminiseriesThe Third Day. [7]In 2021, he teamed withJack Thornefor the Channel 4 dramaHelp,about a young care home worker struggling during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.
Helpwas nominated for sixBritish Academy Television Awardswinning two forJodie ComerandCathy Tyson.[8]
In October 2022, it was announced that Munden's next project would be a series adaptation ofNever Let Me Go.[9]The series is in the works withFXand will be produced byDNA TV,Searchlight TelevisionandFXP.Andrew Macdonald,Allon Reich and Melissa Iqbal are executive producing alongside Munden.[10]It will premiere onHuluin the United States,Starin other territories andStar+in Latin America with Viola Prettejohn,Tracey UllmanandKelly Macdonaldtaking on starring roles.[11]FXultimately chose not to move forward with the adaptation.[12]
In January 2023, Munden was announced as one of the directors for HBO'sThe Sympathizer,joining directorsPark Chan-wookandFernando Meirelles.Munden is set to direct the final three episodes of the series, which starsHoa XuandealongsideRobert Downey Jr.and is based on thePulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.[13]
Filmography[edit]
Films[edit]
Director
- Beverly Hills Is Bournemouth with Sunshine(1989)
- Miranda(2002)
- The Secret Garden(2020)
Television[edit]
TV movies
- Arthouse: Rebel with a Cause(1997)
- Christmas(1996)
- Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in My Heart(2006)
- The Mark of Cain(2007)
- Some Dogs Bite(2010)
- The Third Day: Autumn(2020)
- Help(2021)
TV series
| Year | Title | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | From Wimps to Warriors |
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| 1993 | Forty Minutes |
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| 1995 | Modern Times | |
| 1997 | Touching Evil |
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| 1998 | Vanity Fair |
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| 2000 | The Secret World of Michael Fry (2000 TV series) |
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| 2003 | Canterbury Tales |
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| 2004 | Conviction |
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| 2008 | The Devil's Mistress |
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| 2011 | The Crimson Petal and the White |
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| 2014 | Black Sails |
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| 2013-2014 | Utopia |
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| 2015 | Quantico |
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| 2016 | National Treasure |
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| 2017 | Electric Dreams |
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| 2020 | The Third Day |
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| 2024 | The Sympathizer |
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References[edit]
- ^"Director's Now: Marc Munden".Director's Now.Retrieved24 May2022.
- ^"Director's Now: Marc Munden".Director's Now.Retrieved24 May2022.
- ^Mark Monahan.“Utopia, Channel 4, review”,The Telegraph,15 Jan 2013.
- ^Sam Wollaston.“TV review: Utopia”,The Guardian,16 Jan 2013.
- ^"National Treasure review".RadioTimes.Retrieved27 November2022.
- ^Robert Mitchell."Steve Buscemi, Greg Kinnear Enter 'Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams'".Variety.
- ^Tartaglione, Nancy (January 20, 2018)."Marc Munden To Helm 'The Secret Garden' For David Heyman & Studiocanal".
- ^"BAFTA Television 2022: Winners".BAFTA.Retrieved24 May2022.
- ^"Marc Munden to direct Never Let Me Go Pilot".Variety.Retrieved27 November2022.
- ^Hailu, Selome (May 9, 2022)."'Never Let Me Go' Series in Development at FX ".Variety.
- ^Porter, Rick (October 25, 2022)."'Never Let Me Go' Drama Lands FX/Hulu Series Order ".The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^Porter, Rick (February 2, 2023)."'Never Let Me Go' Series Adaptation Not Moving Forward At FX ".Deadline.
- ^Porter, Rick (January 20, 2023)."'The Sympathizer': Marc Munden & Fernando Meirelles To Direct HBO/A24 Series, Three Cast ".Deadline.
External links[edit]
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
