{{Short description|American filmmaker}} {{Use American English|date=August 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Kris Swanberg | birth_name = Kristin Williams | birth_date = <!-- Valid citation required if adding EXACT DATE OF BIRTH for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) -->{{birth based on age as of date|28|2009|3|9}} | birth_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Joe Swanberg|2007|2019|end=divorce}} | occupation = Filmmaker | children = 2 | other_names = Kris Rey }}
'''Kris Swanberg''' (born '''Kristin Williams'''; <!-- Valid citation required if adding EXACT DATE OF BIRTH for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) -->{{birth based on age as of date|28|2009|3|9|noage=1}}) is an American businesswoman, filmmaker, actress and former high school teacher living in Chicago, Illinois. She has been credited at various times as '''Kris Williams''', '''Kris Swanberg''' and '''Kris Rey'''. Her works as a director include the short documentary ''Bathwater'' (2006), the Nerve.com documentary web series ''Boys and Girls'' and the feature films ''It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home'' (2009), ''Empire Builder'' (2012), ''Unexpected'' (2015) and ''I Used to Go Here'' (2020). She has also had small roles in a number of films, including ''First Man'' (2018).
From 2007 to 2019 she was married to filmmaker Joe Swanberg. The two co-directed, co-produced and co-starred in the 2006-2009 Nerve.com web series ''Young American Bodies''; she also had acting roles in a number of his films.
==Early life== Williams earned a bachelor's degree in Film Production from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and earned a Master's in Education from DePaul University May 2010.
==Career== In 2005, Swanberg coordinated The Future Filmmakers Festival, which showcases work from filmmakers under the age of 21.
Swanberg's first feature film, ''It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home'', had its world premiere at the South by Southwest film festival in March 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2009/03/sxsw-interview-it-was-great-but-i-was-ready-to-come-home-director-kris-swanberg-247302/|title=SXSW Interview: "It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home" Director Kris Swanberg|website=IndieWire|date=March 9, 2019|accessdate=August 29, 2019}}</ref> Her second feature film ''Empire Builder'' premiered in 2012, starring Kate Lyn Sheil.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indie-outlook.com/2012/10/11/ciff-exclusive-kris-swanberg-on-empire-builder/|title=CIFF Exclusive: Kris Swanberg on Empire Builder|website=Indie-Outlook.com|date=October 11, 2012|accessdate=August 29, 2019}}</ref> Her third film, ''Unexpected'', premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It was released on July 24, 2015, by The Film Arcade.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2015/02/unexpected-sundance-movie-film-arcade-cobie-smulders-1201369626/ |title=Sundance Pic 'Unexpected' Acquired By Film Arcade |date=February 9, 2015 |first=Patrick |last=Hipes |website=Deadline Hollywood |publisher=Penske Business Media |accessdate=August 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/cobie-smulders-faces-the-unexpected-in-exclusive-poster-debut-20150428 |title=Cobie Smulders Faces the 'Unexpected' in Exclusive Poster Debut |date=April 28, 2015 |first=David |last=Canfield |work=Indiewire |publisher=Penske Business Media |accessdate=August 29, 2019}}</ref> Her fourth film, ''I Used to Go Here'', starred Gillian Jacobs and Jemaine Clement; Swanberg was credited as Kris Rey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/gillian-jacobs-jemaine-clement-used-go-here-movie-1202706154/|title=Gillian Jacobs & Jemaine Clement Lead Cast In Kris Rey Comedy 'I Used To Go Here', Myriad Launches Sales — Toronto|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=August 28, 2019|accessdate=August 29, 2019}}</ref> It was released August 7, 2020. Her next film, Trash Mountain, stars Caleb Hearon and Zooey Deschanel.
Aside from writing and directing, Swanberg has had small roles in ''First Man'' and ''Joshy''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/first-man-review-ryan-gosling-damien-chazelle-1202920157/|title=Film Review: 'First Man'|website=Variety|first=Owen|last=Gleiberman|date=August 29, 2018|accessdate=August 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/03/lionsgate-hulu-joshy-1201712664/|title=Lionsgate, Hulu Acquire Comedy 'Joshy'|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anita|last=Busch|date=March 1, 2016|access-date=August 29, 2019}}</ref> and has had small roles in films directed by her husband including ''Win It All'', ''Happy Christmas'' and ''Hannah Takes the Stairs''.
=== Nice Cream === {{For|the banana-based alternative to ice cream|Ice cream}} In the late 2000s, Swanberg was laid off from her job as a teacher with Chicago Public Schools and while searching for a new job, she recalled receiving an ice cream maker as a wedding gift.<ref name="ctaugust">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/08/05/local-ice-cream-makers-face-shutdown-by-state-2/|title=Local ice cream makers face shutdown by state|last=Eng|first=Monica|date=August 5, 2011|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=July 17, 2012}}</ref> She began experimenting with new flavors and started a new artisan small-batch ice cream business called "'''Nice Cream'''", producing the dessert at Logan Square Kitchen, a shared community resource in Chicago. By 2010, demand had increased such that the ice cream was being sold in 18 local outlets, including specialty stores, farmer's markets, and two Whole Foods locations.<ref name="ct2010">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/06/07/hard-work-sweetens-luck-of-food-entrepreneurs/|title=Hard work sweetens luck of food entrepreneurs|last=Meyer|first=Ann|date=June 7, 2010|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=July 17, 2012}}</ref>
In July 2011, the Illinois Department of Public Health forced her to shut down operations until she either agreed to use a premade ice mix (as is used at Dairy Queen), or constructed her own manufacturing facility and purchased a commercial dairy license (intended to regulate major dairy producers such as Dean Foods).<ref name="ctaugust"/> Although she submitted samples of her ice cream to labs for testing, which determined that her bacterial levels were far lower than the state's published allowable levels, the State of Illinois shut down Swanberg's company until she purchased the large commercial equipment, stating that even if she used pasteurized milk and boiled all of her products together, she would still need to process it all through a commercial pasteurizer.<ref name="ctaugust"/> Other small-batch ice cream makers in Illinois stated that they were concerned about the state coming for them next, particularly because they had invested significant sums in their businesses and could not afford to close.<ref name="ctaugust"/>
==Personal life== She married Joe Swanberg on June 30, 2007. In March 2020, it was announced that the two had divorced.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/arts-culture/March-2020/south-by-southwest-canceled-kris-rey-indie-film/ |title=Without SXSW, Kris Rey Looks for a Home for Her Film |website=Chicago |first=Nick |last=Allen |date=March 16, 2020 |accessdate=March 18, 2020}}</ref> She has two children.<ref>{{cite web |last=Metz |first=Nina |date=July 23, 2015 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2015/07/23/indie-drama-unexpected-bumps-into-pregnant-directors-real-life/ |title=Indie drama ‘Unexpected’ bumps into pregnant director’s real life |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=February 19, 2026}}</ref>
==Filmography== '''Actress''' {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! Role |- |2005 |''Kissing on the Mouth'' |Laura |- |2007 |''Hannah Takes the Stairs'' |Gaby |- |2009 |''Alexander the Last'' |Stagehand |- |2010 |''Audrey the Trainwreck'' |Realtor Lady |- |2011 |''Autoerotic'' | |- |2011 |''Art History'' |Hillary |- |2012 |''Marriage Material'' |Kris |- |2013 |''The Sacrament'' |Mother of Gene |- |2014 |''Happy Christmas'' |Landlord |- |2016 |''Joshy'' |Anita |- |2017 |''Win It All'' |Kris |- |2018 |''First Man'' |Marilyn See |}
'''Director''' * ''It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home'' (2009) * ''Empire Builder'' (2014) * ''Unexpected'' (2015) * ''I Used to Go Here'' (2020) * ''Trash Mountain'' (2026)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1829290}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Swanberg, Kris}} Category:1980s births Category:Living people Category:Southern Illinois University alumni Category:DePaul University alumni Category:American women film directors Category:American women screenwriters Category:English-language film directors Category:American women film producers Category:21st-century American women Category:Year of birth missing (living people)