Age: 44
female
Chloé Zhao (born Zhao Ting, in Chinese: 赵婷; 31 March 1982) is a Chinese-born filmmaker. She is known primarily for her work on independent films. For her film Nomadland (2020), Zhao is the second of three women to win the Academy Award for Best Director. Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015), her debut feature film, premiered at Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and earned a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. The Rider (2017) was critically acclaimed and received nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Film and Best Director. Zhao garnered international recognition with the American film Nomadland (2020), which she wrote, produced, edited and directed, and which won numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Earning four Academy Award nominations for the film, Zhao won Best Picture and Best Director, becoming the first woman of color to win the latter. She also won awards for directing at the Directors Guild of America Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and British Academy Film Awards, becoming the second female winner of each of them. Zhao co-wrote and directed the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Eternals (2021). Her latest film, Hamnet, premiered at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival to critical acclaim. Description above from the Wikipedia article Chloé Zhao, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Andrea Absolonová, known by the world as Lea De Mae, was a woman ahead of her time—navigating the often-conflicting worlds of sports, fame, and personal freedom. The film begins with Andrea’s rise as a promising high diver on the Czech national team. Trained for perfection, Andrea’s dedication to her sport propels her to incredible heights, with her graceful dives symbolizing her deep yearning to transcend societal expectations. But as her diving career slows, Andrea’s quest for self-expression leads her into the adult entertainment industry, where she adopts the pseudonym Lea De Mae. The film explores the challenges and contradictions she faces in this new life. Through her transformation into an adult model and actress, Lea embraces her sexuality as a source of empowerment, yet also contends with the stigma and judgment surrounding her choices. But Andrea's story takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 27. Her strength and resilience are tested in her final months, as she battles a devastating illness while reflecting on her legacy. Lea: Beyond the Dive delves into the emotional and philosophical complexities of a life lived in the public eye, examining the tension between fame, freedom, and vulnerability.
