Terry George

{{short description|Irish screenwriter and film director (born 1952)}} {{for|those of the same or a similar name|Terry George (entrepreneur)|George Terry (disambiguation)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Terry George | image =  | alt =  | caption = | birth_name = Terence Noel George | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|12|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland | other_names = | alma_mater = [[Queen's University Belfast]] | occupation = Screenwriter<br/>Film director | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Terence George''' (born 20 December 1952) is an Irish screenwriter and film director. Much of his film work (e.g. ''[[In the Name of the Father]]'', ''[[The Boxer (1997 film)|The Boxer]]'', ''[[Some Mother's Son]]'') involves "[[The Troubles]]".

George has been nominated for three [[Academy Awards]], winning once for [[Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film|Best Live Action Short Film]] for ''[[The Shore (2011 film)|The Shore]]''. He has twice been nominated for writing: for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]] for ''In the Name of the Father'', and [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]] for ''[[Hotel Rwanda]]''.

==Life and career== George was born and raised in [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland. In 1971, aged 18, he was arrested for suspicion of paramilitary [[Republican Movement (Ireland)|republican activity]]. He later became involved {{Clarify|date=August 2012}} with the [[Irish Republican Socialist Party]] (IRSP), political wing of the [[Irish National Liberation Army|INLA]]. In 1975, he was driving with armed members of the group when British soldiers stopped them, although George claims he was not carrying a weapon. All were arrested and he was sentenced to six years imprisonment in [[Long Kesh|Long Kesh Prison]] ("The Maze"). Other prisoners at the same time included [[Gerry Adams]] and [[Patsy O'Hara]], the third to die in the [[1981 hunger strikes]]. He was released in 1978 for good behaviour. He briefly attended [[Queen's University Belfast]].

[[File:Seamus and Oorlagh George on RealTVfilms.jpg|thumb|Sibling filmmakers Seamus and Oorlagh George in 2012]] In 1981 he, his wife, Rita (née Margaret Higgins), and their infant daughter, [[Oorlagh George|Oorlagh]], moved to New York City.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/01/movies/a-prison-left-behind-becomes-a-career.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title=A Prison Left Behind Becomes a Career|first=Dinitia|last=Smith|work=The New York Times |date=January 1997 }}</ref> George's wife and daughter later became United States citizens but he faced deportation proceedings. He was finally allowed to remain in the US following a lobbying campaign by Irish-American supporters, and was granted an "O" visa. He and his wife also have a United States-born son, Seamus. His wife Rita died on February 24, 2022.

In 1985, George made his debut as playwright of ''The Tunnel'', a stage drama based on a real-life 1976 prison escape attempt from [[Long Kesh]]. In 1986, he researched the non-fiction book ''The Pizza Connection'', on [[Pizza Connection Trial|a mafia trial]], with the late veteran American journalist [[Shana Alexander]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/01/movies/a-prison-left-behind-becomes-a-career.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title=A Prison Left Behind Becomes a Career|first=Dinitia|last=Smith|work=The New York Times |date=January 1997 }}</ref>

In 1993, he made his debut as screenwriter and assistant director with ''[[In the Name of the Father]]'', starring [[Daniel Day-Lewis]], and directed and co-written by [[Jim Sheridan]]. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including best adapted screenplay for George and Sheridan. He wrote the screenplay for and directed the film ''[[Some Mother's Son]]'', starring [[Helen Mirren]] and [[Fionnula Flanagan]], for which he was named Young European Director of the Year, in 1996. From 2000 to 2004, he served as executive producer and co-creator of the [[CBS]] television series ''[[The District]]'', which starred [[Craig T. Nelson]], [[David O'Hara]] and [[Lynne Thigpen]]. He and [[Billy Ray (screenwriter)|Billy Ray]] received screenplay credits for the World War II drama ''[[Hart's War]]'' in 2002. He earned his second Academy Award nomination in 2004 for directing, producing and co-writing ''[[Hotel Rwanda]]'', which starred [[Don Cheadle]] and [[Sophie Okonedo]]. The film received three Academy award nominations, including best original screenplay. Hotel Rwanda was honored with the [[Cinema for Peace]] Award for the Most Valuable Film of the Year at the Cinema for Peace Gala in Berlin.<ref>{{Cite news|last=SPIEGEL|first=DER|title="Cinema for Peace": Filmreife Hilfe aus Berlin - DER SPIEGEL - Kultur|url=https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/cinema-for-peace-filmreife-hilfe-aus-berlin-a-341880.html|access-date=2020-07-22|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=15 February 2005 |language=de}}</ref>

Along with screenwriter [[William Monahan]] and musician [[Van Morrison]], George was honoured at the 2nd Annual Oscar Wilde '''Honoring Irish Writing in Film''' ceremony, {{Clarify|date=April 2012}} held at the Ebell Wilshire in [[Los Angeles, California]] on 22 February 2007. Later that year, he directed ''[[Reservation Road]]'', starring [[Joaquin Phoenix]], [[Jennifer Connelly]], [[Mark Ruffalo]] and [[Mira Sorvino]]. In 2008, George became a patron of the [[Belfast Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.4ni.co.uk/northern-ireland-news/72554/new-patron-for-belfast-film-festival | title =New Patron For Belfast Film Festival | date =2008-03-04 | publisher = 4ni Co UK | access-date =2024-04-22}}</ref>

In 2010 George wrote and directed the short film ''[[The Shore (2011 film)|The Shore]]''. His daughter, [[Oorlagh George|Oorlagh]] produced the film, which was filmed over six days outside George's home in County Down, Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-17176137|title=Belfast man celebrates Oscar win|date=2012-02-27|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-10-09|language=en-GB}}</ref> On 26 February 2012, ''The Shore'' won the Academy Award for best Live Action Short Film. In 2012, George wrote, directed and produced the feature film ''[[Whole Lotta Sole]]''. In 2016, George wrote and directed ''[[The Promise (2016 American film)|The Promise]]'', set during the [[Armenian genocide]] of 1915 and starring [[Oscar Isaac]], [[Charlotte Le Bon]], and [[Christian Bale]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-39680336|title=A big old-fashioned love story|first=Robbie|last=Meredith|work=BBC News |date=23 April 2017}}</ref>

In recognition of his "exceptional services to film and drama"<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/ceao/News/Title,397513,en.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130708145716/http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/ceao/News/Title,397513,en.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=8 July 2013 | title=News: Sir David Attenborough, Terry George and Avila Kilmurray honoured at Queen's | publisher=Queen's University Belfast | access-date=8 July 2013 }}</ref> George was awarded an honorary degree from [[Queen's University Belfast]] on 1 July 2013.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-23112106|title=QUB honours Sir David Attenborough|date=2013-07-01|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-10-09|language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2017 George received the [[Armin T. Wegner]] Humanitarian Award in honor of his films depicting genocides. In addition he received a [[khachkar]], made by Hrach Gukasyan and commissioned by the [[Arpa International Film Festival]] and Awards Gala, with Armenian-style patterns in the shape of a [[Celtic cross]], the latter in honor of his Irish heritage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://armenianweekly.com/2017/11/09/20th-arpa-international-film-fest/|title=Twentieth Arpa International Film Festival Celebration Wraps with Emotional Tributes|newspaper=[[Armenian Weekly]]|date=2017-11-09|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref>

==Filmography== === Film === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Director !Writer !Producer |- |1993 |''[[In the Name of the Father]]'' |{{Partial|2nd unit}} |{{yes}} |{{yes|Co-Executive}} |- |1996 |''[[Some Mother's Son]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |- |1997 |''[[The Boxer (1997 film)|The Boxer]]'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |- |2002 |''[[Hart's War]]'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |- |2004 |''[[Hotel Rwanda]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |- |2007 |''[[Reservation Road]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |- |2012 |''[[Whole Lotta Sole]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |- |2016 |''[[The Promise (2016 American film)|The Promise]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |- |}

'''Consulting producer''' * ''[[The Night (2020 film)|The Night]]'' (2021)

'''Short film''' {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Director !Writer !Producer |- |2006 |''Where's Daddy!'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |- |2011 |''[[The Shore (2011 film)|The Shore]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |}

=== Television === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Director !Writer !Executive<br>Producer !Notes |- |2000–2004 |''[[The District]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Also creator;<br>Directed 3 episodes and wrote 7 episodes |- |2009 |''[[In Treatment (American TV series)|In Treatment]]'' |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |3 episodes |- |2010 |''[[Outlaw (TV series)|Outlaw]]'' |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Episode "Pilot" |- |2012 |''[[Luck (TV series)|Luck]]'' |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Episode "Ace Meets with a Potential Investor" |}

'''TV movies''' {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Director !Writer |- |1989 |''Hunt for Stolen War Treasures'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |- |1998 |''[[A Bright Shining Lie (film)|A Bright Shining Lie]]'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |}

==See also== * [[List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Ireland]] ==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17176137 BBC coverage] * {{IMDb name|313623}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Terry}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Television writers from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Male screenwriters from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Expatriates from Northern Ireland in the United States]] [[Category:20th-century male writers from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:21st-century male writers from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:20th-century screenwriters from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:21st-century screenwriters from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Directors of Live Action Short Film Academy Award winners]] [[Category:Television directors from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Male television writers from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast]] [[Category:Film directors from Belfast]] [[Category:Paramilitaries from Belfast]] [[Category:People convicted of illegal possession of weapons]] [[Category:Republicans imprisoned during the Northern Ireland conflict]] [[Category:Directors of European Discovery European Film Award winners]]